GUTHRIE CENTER — Guthrie County District Court Judge Brad McCall granted a change of venue Thursday in the murder trial of Patrick Thomson, 27, of Nevada, Iowa.
Thompson is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of first-degree arson in connection with the May 15 house fire in Guthrie Center that killed his step-sister, Melanie “Paige” Exline, 12, and her cousin, Shakiah Cockerham, 16, both of Guthrie Center.
Thompson’s court-appointed public defender, Jill Eimermann, successfully argued that publicity surrounding the case would make it impossible to seat a fair and impartial jury.
The new site for Thomson’s trial was not announced.
The Greene County trial of Thomson’s stepfather, James Exline Jr., 46, of Jefferson, who was also the father of Melanie “Paige” Exline, was also granted a change of venue in October by Greene County District Court Judge Kurt J. Stoebe.
Exline is charged with one count of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree sexual abuse in the alleged molestation of his daughter between 2016 and 2017.
At the time of the Guthrie Center arson fire in May, James Exline was living at 2264 M Ave. near Jefferson with his wife, Christine Exline, son, Noah Exline, and Thompson.
