Kennewick murder suspect, lawyers want more time to prepare defense

A Kennewick murder suspect has moved his trial into 2018 so his attorneys have more time to prepare their defense.

Stephen E. Morfin, 27, requested a new trial date of Feb. 12.

Morfin is charged in Benton County Superior Court with second-degree murder, indicating that he did not plan to kill Martin C. Ibanez when the two met on Sept. 11.

Ibanez, 39, died shortly after he was shot several times while standing in a Kennewick driveway.

Prosecutors allege that Morfin wanted to see the victim about a debt, and had an acquaintance direct him to Ibanez’s location.

The acquaintance, who is not named in court documents, told investigators he heard gunshots while Morfin was out of the car at 1507 W. Seventh Place. The acquaintance then got behind the wheel and, once Morfin returned to the car, drove away, documents said.

The victim’s cellphone allegedly revealed text messages about Ibanez owing money.

Detectives tracked down the person on the other end of the text exchange, and discovered he was the man who accompanied Morfin to the scene that day.

The man claims that after the shooting, he and Morfin drove to a spot in Franklin County and left the Impala there, court documents said. He said Morfin buried a handgun used in the shooting near the parked car.

Investigators later found “a freshly dug hole” during a search of the property. Documents don’t say if the gun was found.

Morfin, of Pasco, was arrested Oct. 6 at a motel. He is being held in the Benton County jail on $500,000 bail.

This story was originally published November 11, 2017 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Kennewick murder suspect, lawyers want more time to prepare defense."