April 15, 1997 - Preliminary Hearing
The four adult suspects in last week's shooting of a Knox County family were ordered held without bond today pending a preliminary hearing. Nineteen year old Edward Dean Mullins, twenty year old Lance Risner, eighteen year old Natasha Wallen Cornett, and eighteen year old Crystal Renee Sturgill were arraigned by Judge James Carter this morning with a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for April 23rd. Amidst jeers from a large crowd of onlookers, the four arrived at the Greene County Detention Center early Monday Evening. The suspects were flown by U. S. Marshals to McGee Tyson Airport in Knoxville Monday afternoon, then transported in separate vehicles to Greene County. Upon their arrival, the crown, which had lined the route near the detention center's sallyport area, began a verbal attack on the suspects. All four were escorted inside the detention center without incident. All six suspects are each charged with three counts of felony murder during the commission of a theft. Sheriff Terry Jones says other charges are pending.

(JONES #4...OC...FROM THERE)(:07)

The two juveniles, seventeen year old Karen Renee Howell and fourteen year old Jason Blake Bryant remain in a Bisbee, Arizona Jail awaiting extradition at a later date.

The four were brought back to Greeneville last night by U. S. Marshals. About one hundred people gathered to watch the suspects being brought to the jail and there were shouts of "Murderers!", "Baby killers!", and "You'll fry!" from the crowd of onlookers as the suspects were taken into the jail. All four are charged with murder in the deaths of Vidar and Delphinia Lillelid and their six year old daughter Tabitha. The couple's two year old son Peter remains in serious but stable condition in a Knoxville Hospital. All of the victims had been shot several times. Authorities say other charges may also be filed against the four.