PHOENIX — The man accused of killing Lauren Heike on a hiking trail last year will appear in court Friday for the first time since the Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed its motion to seek the death penalty in the case.
Zion Teasley is accused of killing Heike on a hiking trail in north Phoenix in April of 2023.
Today, the court will hear oral arguments for "new findings of probable cause."
Last week, MCAO confirmed to ABC15 that they had filed the motion to seek the death penalty against Teasley.
Teasley allegedly stabbed Heike more than a dozen times, leaving her body along the trail where it was found a day later.
He had been released from prison just months before the killing.
Teasley had been serving time for convictions on charges of robbery, armed robbery, and disorderly conduct.
Heike's death sparked national attention, and people across multiple states have shown their support for the family after the killing.
Teasley is currently set to go on trial for Heike's killing later this year.
