I-Team: Prosecution, defense discuss evidence in cold case death of Candance Prunty

SPRINGFIELD — The prosecution and defense talked Monday about evidence in the cold case murder of Candance Prunty.

News Center 7 has been following this case for the past six years as part of our Miami Valley Murder Mysteries series.

Prunty had three young children when she died in 2015.

Throughout the investigation, prosecutors told News Center 7 they thought her ex-boyfriend was the one who walked into her house and shot her several times while her children were at school.

>> I-TEAM: Ex-boyfriend indicted on murder charges for 2015 killing of Springfield woman

In August, a Grand Jury indicted Thomas Albert. He was already in prison for an unrelated attack in Ohio.

There is a ton of evidence in this case. The amount of it was the center of a hearing Monday at the Clark County Courthouse.

The hearing on Monday was held virtually, while prosecutors and the defense were talking about discovery, which is the evidence the state has in the case that they must give to the defense before trial.

Right now, the trial date for Albert is set for December.

Albert’s lawyer, Shawn Thomas, said the following, “I mean, this has been – they might as well have pulled a dump truck and dumped it in my office.”

Prosecuting attorney, Dan Driscoll, responded by saying, “Again, we’re not trying to hide the ball here. We’re trying to make sure we’re turning over everything we have.”

The judge told the defense if he feels like he needs more time and wants to trial date pushed back – that’s something he can ask the court for.

Albert is in prison in Ohio and not eligible for parole until 2045 in an unrelated case.

Prosecutors said Albert was dating Prunty in the summer of 2015 and that’s when she broke off the short relationship.

According to Springfield Police, the motive behind her death was that Albert was upset about the break-up.

Detectives said technology advancements allowing them to get a fresh look at old evidence in the case is what led to a Grand Jury indicting Albert this past summer in connection with Prunty’s death.

Prunty’s mother, Patricia Beard, said, “It feels like heaven has opened up and dropped down multiple blessings for us.”

Right now, the next hearing in this case is in two weeks with the trial scheduled to start the first week of December.

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