Teen to plead guilty in Nevada killing
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The lawyer for one of two teens accused in the March 2011 killing of a Nevada classmate says the 19-year-old will plead guilty to first-degree murder.
Attorney John Ohlson tells The Associated Press that Kody Cree Patton will enter the plea Wednesday in Elko.
Patten and his then-girlfriend, Toni Fratto, were accused of the death of 16-year-old Micaela "Mickey" Costanzo, who was taken to a remote area near the Utah-Nevada border after track practice in West Wendover.
Authorities say she was struck in the head with a shovel and her throat was slit before she was buried in a shallow grave.
Toni Fratto pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with a deadly weapon and was sentenced in April to up to life in prison.
Patten was set to go to trial in July.
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