Barring extradition, it appears increasingly likely Phillip Lieurance will complete his criminal court proceedings in Lyon County before he begins any court proceedings in Colorado.
Lieurance is being held on aggravated battery and numerous other charges after his arrest Sept. 11 following an incident on the Kansas Turnpike. His arrest outside Emporia came shortly after two Emporia women, Linda Estrada and Amy Ford, were reported missing. Both were later found dead near Eads, Colorado, after an intensive investigation involving Emporia Police, Emporia Fire, deputies from Lyon, Chase and Coffey counties, several Kansas and Colorado state agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation among a list of nearly 30 entities working to help solve the case.
Authorities in Kiowa County, Colorado, say formal murder charges are ready to file but can’t because Lieurance hasn’t formally appeared before a judge. Meanwhile, Lyon County Attorney Marc Goodman says the aggravated battery case will proceed as scheduled, meaning an upcoming court appearance Nov. 29.
Lieurance is also being held on Lyon County charges of being a fugitive from justice in Colorado, with Lyon County documents indicating Colorado charges of Class 2 murder and tampering with a deceased human body. His next hearing in that case is on Halloween.
Given the length of criminal court proceedings from start to finish, it conceivably could be late 2024 to early 2025 before Lieurance ends his hearings in Kansas and is transferred to Colorado if extradition does not happen.
