Springfield man accused of double murder, including a child, set for jury trial, new judge

A trial date has been set for Brandon King, a Springfield man who stands accused of stabbing and killing a woman, her 13-year-old son, and wounding two children in a vicious 2020 New Year's Eve attack.

At a pretrial hearing Thursday, Greene County prosecuting attorney Dan Patterson and King's lawyers agreed to start the jury trial Oct. 7, 2024.

Newly appointed Greene County Circuit Judge Kaiti Greenwade, who replaced the retired David Jones in June, has been assigned to the case.

Patterson filed paperwork earlier this year with plans to pursue the death penalty if King is convicted of first-degree murder.

King, 31, faces two counts of first-degree murder for the killings of his girlfriend Stephanie Plumb, 32, and her son, Dylan Moore, at the family's West Scott Street home. He also faces assault charges for allegedly stabbing two of Plumb's other children, ages 7 and 14.

Police said King told investigators he committed the violent acts to eliminate potential witnesses in a Christian County forgery case, and wanted to steal money from a van to flee the state.

King's defense stated in a previous hearing that his medication had changed the day of the killings.

When Thursday's brief hearing had concluded, King's mother asked Judge Greenwade if she could hug her son, who was present in a jail suit. Greenwade deferred that decision to a bailiff, who then kindly asked everyone who wasn't a member of King's family to leave the courtroom.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield man accused of double murder set for jury trial, new judge