An Emporia man facing murder charges in Colorado has a new hearing date later this year.
Phillip Lieurance was the subject of a short hearing in Prowers County Court on Tuesday before he was set for his next hearing Dec. 5. Most of the brief conversation dealt with moving Lieurance’s case from Prowers County, where the court cases have been held, to Kiowa County, where Lieurance is charged.
Lieurance faces single counts of first-degree murder and second-degree murder, reflecting the alleged homicides of Amy Ford and Linda Estrada, respectively. He also faces two counts of tampering with a body as part of the alleged killings Sept. 10, 2023.
Extradition conversations between Kansas and Colorado took place over several months, both during and following criminal court proceedings in Lyon County after Lieurance rammed his SUV into at least one other vehicle on the Kansas Turnpike near Emporia a few days after Estrada and Ford were allegedly murdered. In November, Lieurance pleaded no contest to three counts of aggravated battery, two of which were for driving under the influence. Lieurance was sentenced to 34 months in prison in January.