Edenfield Trial To Begin Next Month

One of two men accused in the kidnapping, sexual assault and killing of a 6-year-old Glynn County boy in March 2007 will begin next month with a jury imported from another county.

David Edenfield, along with his wife, Peggy, and adult son, George, were charged after Christopher Barrios' body was found after a multi-day search. The father will be the first defendant to be tried.

Superior Court Judge Steven Scarlett on Wednesday denied defense motions to suppress Edenfield's statements to investigators and scheduled jury selection to begin Sept. 21 in Jeff Davis County, about 90 miles north of Brunswick. The jury will be brought to Glynn County for the trial.

Christopher was last seen March 8, 2007, in his Glynn County neighborhood.

His disappearance prompted a massive search, which ended when his body was found wrapped in trash bags and dumped near some woods. He had been assaulted, raped and killed.

Two years later, a memorial remains near the location where the child's body was found.

The judge had originally scheduled it for May, but pushed the trial back to September because of a lack of state funding to pay for Edenfield's defense.

Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against both David and George Edenfield, but not against the wife because of her willingness to testify for the state.