BATTLE CREEK, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The boyfriend charged in the murder of a Battle Creek woman will stand trial on charges of murder, MLive reported Tuesday.
26-year-old Derek Horton is accused of murdering his girlfriend, 27-year-old Amber Griffin, who has been missing since last June. The body still has not been recovered at this time. He began seeing his pretrial appearances last month.
That trial concluded after its third day on Tuesday, MLive reported. Calhoun County District Judge Tracie Tomak said there was enough evidence to move forward after establishing probable cause.
Evidence tying Horton to the murder include traces of blood in multiple areas including the trunk of his vehicle, as well as receipt and security footage that showed him purchasing a shovel the day after she was reported missing.
The prosecution believes Horton purchased the shovel to bury Griffin’s body.
However, Horton’s defense argued that since there was no body, there was no evidence that Griffin was actually dead, meaning there isn’t evidence that Horton committed a murder.
That wasn’t enough to convince Judge Tomak, who said that there was probable cause Griffin was dead. She cited the fact that Griffin has not reappeared in any way for holidays or gatherings, or contacted her family.
Horton continues to be held at the Calhoun County Jail at this time.
