Trial in death of Maui pregnant woman to begin in 2016

WAILUKU (AP) — A trial date has been set for a man charged with murder in the disappearance of a pregnant Maui woman in 2014.

Twenty-six-year-old Steven Capobianco will face trial Jan. 19 in the death of Carly “Charli” Scott. Jury selection is expected to take about a week and a half, said First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rivera, who will be handling the case, The Maui News reported (https://bit.ly/1ZfdeXc).

Capobianco has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the 27-year-old woman’s death and third-degree arson of her vehicle,

Scott had been reported missing Feb. 10, 2014. Family members had said that the woman, who was five months pregnant, had left the house to help Capobianco, whose car had broken down in Keanae.

Police began investigating the missing person’s case as a homicide after they found her torched car and more of her belongings during a search in March 2014.

Capobianco was indicted on the charges in July 2014.

Capobianco’s attorney had filed a motion seeking to suppress two statements Capobianco made to police officers investigating Scott’s disappearance. No Miranda warnings were given to Capobianco, who “felt compelled to participate in the interview,” according to the motion.

A judge denied the request in October.