Trial for man accused of killing three members of Muncie family reset for October
MUNCIE, Ind. — The trial of a Muncie man accused of killing three members of a local family, which had been scheduled to begin this month, has been reset for October.
Devin Xavier Myers, 29, is now scheduled to stand trial in Delaware Circuit Court 5 beginning on Oct. 21.
The charges against him include multiple counts of murder, along with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, criminal confinement, obstruction of justice, being a prisoner possessing a deadly weapon, criminal mischief and three counts of intimidation.
Myers is charged in the shooting death — on July 12, 2022 — of 19-year-old Kyler Ryan Musick, and the slayings a day later of Musick's grandfather and great-aunt, Malcolm Perdue and Kyndra K. Swift.
The later two homicides took place during an armed home invasion of the South Liberty Street home where Musick's family lived.
Myers' trial had most recently been set to begin on April 29, but defense attorney Joel Hand at a Tuesday hearing requested a continuance, which Judge Thomas Cannon Jr. granted over the objection of prosecutors.
Prosecutors in recent days received the results of ballistic tests, based on evidence submitted to an Indiana State Police laboratory in August 2022.
Defense attorneys have indicated they might want to hire their own firearms expert.
Four of the charges pending against Myers stem from events in the Delaware County Jail in August 2022, when corrections officers reported a "shank" had been found in Myers' possession, and also said he had threatened to kill jailers.
That prompted Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman to file four more charges against Myers, being a prisoner possessing a deadly weapon, criminal mischief and two counts of intimidation.
In March, Hoffman filed notice that he also intended to present evidence at the trial concerning Myers' conduct at a January 2023 pre-trial hearing.
During that hearing, Myers reportedly exchanged angry words with supporters of his alleged victims, reportedly telling one person n the courtroom gallery, "I'll ------- put you in a bag, too."
A co-defendant, 29-year-old Daniel L. Jones, is accused of accompanying Myers to the South Liberty Street home where two of the victims died.
He is scheduled to stand trial May 20, also in Circuit Court 5, on murder and other charges.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Trial rescheduled for Muncie man charged with three counts of murder
