Speedy trial motion granted for man accused in Courtney Coco death

David Burns, the Boyce man accused of killing 19-year-old Courtney Coco in 2004, had his motion for a speedy trial granted, but then saw that trial moved from August to October.

Burns, 46, was indicted in April 2021 on a charge of second-degree murder. His trial had been set for Aug. 8, and his attorney, Christopher LaCour, had filed a motion for a speedy trial.

Ninth Judicial District Court Judge Mary Lauve Doggett granted that during a hearing Thursday. But the state, represented by Rapides Parish Assistant District Attorney Brian Mosley, asked for a continuance of Burns' trial, which was less than three weeks away.

Doggett granted the motion, setting the trial on Oct. 24.

Burns remains in the Rapides Parish Detention Center with bail set at $255,000.

Coco's body was found in an abandoned building in Winnie, Texas, in October 2004. As the years went by and the case grew cold, her family remained vocal and pushed for the case to be solved.

Attorney: 'Not one shred of evidence' against man accused in Courtney Coco's death

Detective: David Burns told 5 people he killed Courtney Coco

After Burns' arrest, Coco's mother, Stephanie Belgard, said she was ready to pursue justice for her daughter in the courtroom.

In a previous hearing, LaCour argued the state has no evidence that Burns killed Coco. The defense has appealed a decision by Doggett allowing the trial to take place in Rapides Parish after they argued there was no evidence that Coco's death happened at her Alexandria home.

An Alexandria Police Department testified at another hearing that five people had told him Burns said he had killed Coco.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Man accused of killing Courtney Coco gets speedy trial granted