Khaleesi: Trial date set for suspect charged with murder in death of Augusta County girl
STAUNTON — The trial of one of two suspects charged in the killing of an Augusta County toddler won't take place for nearly a year after a trial date was set Wednesday during a hearing in Augusta Circuit Court.
Candi J. Royer, 42, is charged with aggravated murder in the death of 3-year-old Khaleesi Cuthriell. Royer's boyfriend, 30-year-old Travis Brown, is also charged with aggravated murder.
Khaleesi was the daughter of a Staunton woman who authorities said gave the girl to Royer in 2020 just days before being locked up at Middle River Regional Jail. The mother told a jail official the toddler was missing in early September. Weeks later that same month, Sheriff Donald Smith announced Khaleesi was dead.
At a press conference held in May, Smith said he believes Khaleesi went permanently missing in February 2021.
The toddler's body has not been recovered.
On Sept. 20, a day before Khaleesi's death was reported, numerous Virginia State Police search and recovery vehicles were at 249 Cattle Scales Road in Waynesboro, where both Royer and Brown had lived before they fled the state. Smith said the couple rented the home from one of Brown's relatives. An adjacent property was also searched by the recovery teams.
On Sept. 12, Pennsylvania State Police and the United States Marshals Service arrested Brown and Royer at a motel in South Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Both were extradited to Virginia.
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Royer, who is being held at Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail, appeared in court from the jail Wednesday via a video monitor to set a trial date. Her court-appointed attorney, Michael Hallahan, requested a jury trial, and Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador informed Circuit Judge Anne Reed that she expected the trial to last five days.
Reed selected the week of May 8 through May 12 in 2023 to hold the trial, which caused Royer's eyes to noticeably widen. Hallahan explained to Royer that he would advise her to waive her right to a speedy trial.
"There's a lot of evidence in this case, I wouldn't rush it," Hallahan said. "Some cases I would insist on speedy trial. This isn't one of them."
Besides aggravated murder, Royer also faces charges of felony murder, unlawfully concealing a dead body, conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, conspiracy to commit child abuse and conspiracy to conceal a dead body. Brown faces identical charges plus an additional charge of child abuse.
A trial date for Brown has not been set.
Both suspects remain jailed without bond.
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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Trial date set for suspect charged in death of Augusta County girl