April 16, 2012 is the new date for the trial of Tyrice J. Halliburton, who has been indicted for the 2008 murder of Sheena Kiska in her Bristol apartment. The trial, originally set for January 23, will be held in the Elkhart County circuit court in Goshen, Judge Terry C. Shewmaker presiding.

The delay was granted at the request of Halliburton’s attorney, after the prosecution filed a formal motion seeking a sentence of life without parole. The motion for a life sentence was filed after plea negotiations collapsed when Halliburton refused to plead guilty to the murder charge.

When the trial does take place, it will be lengthened by the new developments. Jurors will be asked to render three decisions, namely, 1) whether Halliburton is guilty of murder, 2) if so, whether to recommend that Judge Shewmaker impose the life sentence, and 3) whether the defendant should be declared a “habitual criminal.”

The request for the third decision from the jury is based on the fact that Halliburton has prior felony convictions for theft on his record, and on the allegation that Sheena Kiska was killed when she surprised the defendant in the act of burglarizing her apartment. The designation as a habitual criminal would have implications regarding the length of the sentence and the difficulty of obtaining release or parole.

Marshal Michael Swallow of the Bristol Police Department (BPD) has stated that the “ongoing and thorough investigation” of this case has been one of the best he has ever seen. Chief Deputy Mike Albin has logged thousands of hours on the case, pursuing it on a full time basis during critical periods.

Swallow applauds the outstanding cooperation between the BPD, “many other departments,” and the Elkhart County prosecutor’s office in pursuing this case and bringing the defendant to trial. While no one can predict the final result of a jury trial, he is confident that the prosecution has a credible case to pursue in this matter.