Court Case for Murder Suspect Atilano Held Over Once Again

A court hearing for Skylor Atilano, the juvenile accused of murdering his 10-year-old half brother in Menifee in July, was continued today until Nov. 7 for what the court called "further proceedings."

Atilano, seen here in a previous court appearance, has been in custody since his arrest July 10 following the discovery of a body identified as young Terry Smith buried in the back yard of the family home. Hundreds searched for Terry for three days following his disappearance in a case that received national attention.

According to John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, the case was continued because the DA is still awaiting the autopsy report from the Coroner's Office so it can be turned over to the defense as part of the discovery in the case.

The Nov. 7 hearing will determine whether all discovery has been brought forward. Hall said that on that day, it's possible that a date will be set for the actual hearing to determine whether Atilano will be tried as a juvenile or an adult. That decision has yet to be made by the juvenile court judge.