Trial rescheduled in Modesto death penalty case

A judge has rescheduled a trial to start Sept. 8 for a defendant accused of murder in a series of Modesto-area store robberies eight years ago.

Edward Deandre Mitchell, 27, is accused of shooting to death Balbir Boyal, who owned BK Liquors at 150 Riverside Drive in east Modesto. The crime occurred June 7, 2006.

Mitchell also faces five felony counts of robbery and one felony count of attempted robbery in connection with a string of convenience store robberies in the spring and summer of 2006.

If convicted as charged, Mitchell would face the death penalty.

The defendant, who remains in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail, is scheduled to return to court Dec. 12 for a pretrial hearing.

This story was originally published October 17, 2014 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Trial rescheduled in Modesto death penalty case."