A plea hearing Wednesday ended in frustration for Carl DeBrodie's family.
Anthony R.K. Flores, 32, and his lawyer Jeffrey Kays filed notice for a change of plea, according to Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Wilson. In June, Flores pleaded not guilty to two counts of making a false report of a missing person.
Requesting a hearing for a change of plea signaled he wanted to plead guilty, Wilson said.
But as the hearing began, Kays requested a few more minutes to speak with his client. A quiet conversation later, the defendant requested the cause to be passed to the pre-trial conference - delaying the matter until Feb. 25.
The same thing happened back in September, court documents on Case.net show, with a plea hearing being called and then delayed.
"I can think of a few times over the years where that's happened, but it's not common," Wilson said. "I've had instances where, for example, the defendant picked up a new criminal charge and wanted to see how that turned out before he made a plea."
Those circumstances don't apply here, Wilson said, though he said he was unable to discuss any specific reason Flores might have given for deciding not to change the plea at this time.
It's not impossible that this situation will repeat again before Flores' trial, which is currently set for Feb. 28.
"A person can plead guilty any time he wants to plea guilty," Wilson said. "But when they notice for a change of plea, I rely on that (for planning purposes). I'm very frustrated, yes."
The frustration wasn't for himself, he added.
"If he wants a trial, that's fine," Wilson added. "What I hate the most is for Carl's family to be on this emotional roller coaster."
Carol Samson, DeBrodie's aunt, was present at the hearing but declined to comment.
Flores was one of five employees of Second Chance Homes of Fulton indicted by grand jury last year. DeBrodie lived at Second Chance prior to his death. He was 31 when his remains were found concealed in a Fulton storage unit April 24, 2017, about a week after he was reported missing. Authorities say DeBrodie appeared to have been dead for months prior to his discovery.