BATTLE MOUNTAIN - Former Battle Mountain resident Alexander Steven King pleaded guilty per plea agreement June 6, 2011, in the Third Judicial District Court in Lyon County to first degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, a category A felony, according to the district court clerk's office in Lyon County.
He decided to take back his guilty plea and the case was returned back to the justice court where he pleaded not guilty to first degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon.
The case was then sent back to the Third Judicial District Court where it is scheduled for a jury trial to be held March 5, 2013, for a four-day span, according to the district court.
According to the jail, King is no longer in custody in Lyon County but no further information was available on whether or not he made bail, was released on his own recognizance or was transferred somewhere else.
According to the Walker River Justice Court clerk's office in Lyon County, King was initially charged with one count of first degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, one count of burglary with a deadly weapon and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
King's case was initially bound over from the Walker River Justice Court to the district court in Lyon County on May 20, 2011, before being sent back over to the justice court after King changed his mind on the guilty plea.
At a pretrial hearing in January 2011, King was committed to Lakes Crossing for a psychological evaluation in relation to the Jan. 3, 2011, murder of Silver Springs resident Stewart Gardner, 18.
According to the justice court clerk's office, King was found competent to stand trial as a result of the psychological evaluation.
King's first justice court arraignment was held Jan. 5, 2011.
King allegedly shot and killed Gardner. According to the Associated Press, Gardner interrupted King as King was allegedly burglarizing Gardner's residence. Gardner pursued King down the street, at which point King allegedly shot the man. Gardner died later at a Reno hospital.
According to court files in Battle Mountain, King was arrested in Battle Mountain and charged in May 2009 by the Lander County District Attorney's Office with burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to possess stolen property.
In accordance with a plea agreement, King pleaded guilty in the Sixth Judicial District Court in Lander County to two counts of burglary. He was sentenced in June 2010 to two concurrent sentences of 16 - 72 months in the Nevada State Prison which were suspended and he was granted probation under several conditions.
The conditions were that he was to submit to random searches of his person, property and vehicle; not consume or possess any alcohol or illegal substances; submit to random drug and alcohol testing; not gamble or be inside any gambling establishment; receive anger management counseling; take all prescription medications as prescribed; pay $650 for reimbursement of his public defender; pay $650 restitution to the victim; serve 364 days in the Lander County Jail with credit for 255 days already served; sign a civil confession of judgment; and perform 20 hours of community service.
King also has a juvenile record in Lander County but it is confidential, said Lander County Sheriff Ron Unger.
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