Sex charges added against Wood; next hearing in May
A judge this morning allowed two new sex crimes to be added to the accusations against the man who police say kidnapped 10-year-old Hailey Owens, sexually attacked her and shot her to death.
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Craig Michael Wood, 46, now formally is charged with rape and sodomy. Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson had filed a motion to add the charges Monday.
The judge agreed the charges should be added over the objections of the defense.
Wood pleaded not guilty to the two additional charges today.
Also this morning, the judge granted the defense's motion to reschedule a preliminary hearing that had been set for today. That was because Wood's attorney, Patrick Berrigan, had only had three days to prepare for the rape and sodomy charges. The new date is May 22.
"These are very serious charges," Judge Mark Powell said. "Mr. Berrigan ought to have the opportunity to investigate those charges."
Berrigan, in a response to Patterson's motion for new charges, expressed frustration that prosecutors requested the new charges just days before the scheduled preliminary hearing.
"No explanation whatsoever has be proffered as to why the State waited until three days before the scheduled preliminary hearing to attempt to add new felony charges based on information available to the prosecution for over two months now," he wrote.
Patterson filed a supplemental probable cause statement Monday that included a medical examiner's findings that Hailey had injuries consistent with rape and sodomy. The autopsy was done Feb. 20, but the statement was filed April 21.
Patterson said he filed the amended complaint as soon as he had the report.
The prosecutor's motion represented the first time authorities confirmed they believe Wood sexually attacked the child. Child welfare records, unsealed in March at the News-Leader's request, showed sexual assault against Hailey was suspected, and that Wood was the suspect.
Police say Wood kidnapped Hailey from her neighborhood on Feb. 18. Police say her body was found hours later in garbage bags in Wood's basement, which smelled of bleach.
Wood was arrested at his home at 1538 E. Stanford St., a few hours after Hailey was reportedly kidnapped.
News-Leader reporter Thomas Gounley contributed to this report.