Arthur Eric Magana and Gustavo Olivo are charged with murder. PCSO photos

Pinal County Superior Court Judge Kevin White vacated a trial date for teen co-defendants accused of first-degree murder and armed robbery Monday.

Arthur Eric Magana and Gustavo Olivo appeared together, with their attorneys, March 12 after appearing separately last month.

The document prompting the trial’s postponement is a motion to sever the case submitted recently by James Soslowsky, Olivo’s defense attorney.

Prosecutor Patrick Johnson is expected to review the motion and file a response within days. If Johnson objects to the severance, an oral argument will be scheduled.

The teens allegedly shot to death 20-year-old Wyatt Miller in an unincorporated area of Maricopa in 2016. They pled not guilty to the murder charges.

Since then, they have appeared jointly in most court hearings. If their case is severed, separate trial dates would likely follow.

With their original trial date of April 10 tossed, White said a new trial date could be set for May – pending the severance issue and the possibility of a plea.

White ordered Magana, Olivo and their attorneys to meet with prosecution for a settlement conference, where plea deal negotiations could take place.

The conference is ordered to occur some time before the teens’ next court date on April 23 at 1:30 p.m.


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This story has been corrected to indicate the name of the victim.