Sentencing postponed for 3 defendants convicted in Tylor Crippen murder

A sentencing hearing was postponed until Jan. 8 for three young men convicted in the deadly stabbing of Tylor Crippen at an east Modesto park nearly three years ago.

Stanislaus County probation officials had not completed probation reports for defendants Taylor Koplen, Jacob Segura and Juan Garcia, so their sentencing could not proceed Wednesday morning.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Dawna Reeves said that she was informed that the court had not given probation officials enough time to complete the reports, which could be finalized by Dec. 18. But scheduling conflicts pushed the sentencing until next month.

The defendants remain in custody at the county jail.

Prosecutors say Koplen stabbed Crippen during a botched strong-arm robbery about 8:30 p.m. Jan. 29, 2013, at Creekwood Park near Johansen High School. The prosecution argued at trial that the 18-year-old Modestan was stabbed to death as all three defendants were trying to rob him and his girlfriend.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Sentencing postponed for 3 defendants convicted in Tylor Crippen murder."