17-year-old pleads not guilty to murder

Seventeen-year-old Ian Laboyd has plead not guilty to five charges, including murder.

During Laboyd’s preliminary hearing, his defense attorneys argued he was acting in self defense.

Laboyd’s attorneys told the court three or four days before Laboyd shot 19-year-old Matthew York and Parker Haider, York met with Laboyd to sell him acid tablets. York later told a friend that Laboyd punched him in the head and stole the drugs.

Police say they did not find any drugs on either victims. The defense attorneys said if the two victims were actually there for a drug deal, they would’ve had the drugs on them. Detective Sam Aide says the two 19-year-olds who were on the scene with the victims could’ve gotten rid of the drugs later.

Those two people gave police Laboyd’s name as a suspect, his shoe prints matched those at the scene, and police say the watched surveillance footage of someone matching Laboyd’s description throwing a firearm in a nearby dumpster.

Laboyd also plead not guilty to criminal attempt- murder, tampering with physical evidence, delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of stolen property.

Laboyd’s 10-day jury trial will be scheduled on a later date.

If convicted, Laboyd faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.