Trial Date Set For Missouri Man Accused of Killing Child

A judge has set a trial date for a southwest Missouri man charged with raping and killing a 10-year-old girl.

The Springfield News-Leader reports a Greene County judge ruled Monday that the case against 47-year-old Craig M. Wood will go to trial starting Sept. 26, 2016.

Wood is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, rape, sodomy and armed criminal action in the February 2014 death of Hailey Owens. Prosecutors have said they'll seek the death penalty if Wood is convicted.

County Prosecutor Dan Patterson sought a March 2016 trial date, but Wood's attorneys asked that the trial be set for March 2017 because they had several other capital murder trials coming up.

Judge Thomas Mountjoy compromised by scheduling the trial for Sept. 26 through Oct. 21 of 2016.