Accused Central Florida serial killer misses court appearance due to COVID-19
An accused serial killer set to go on trial next month couldn’t make it to a court hearing Friday because of COVID-19.
Robert Hayes had to appear by way of Zoom at the hearing in Volusia County, because either he had been exposed to or infected by the coronavirus.
He’s accused of murdering three women, between 2005 and 2006. He was caught in 2019 after another murder in south Florida.
Investigators say DNA from that case, linked Hayes to the killings in Daytona Beach of Laquetta Gunter, Julie Green and Iwanna Patton.
Friday's hearing was to hash out what kind of evidence prosecutors will be allowed to use against him. Hayes also told the judge COVID-19 has made it hard, for him to meet with his lawyers.
"We’ve been on quarantine for about a week now, we may have another week. So I don’t know how in-person contact may happen here, but I request that I have some type of meeting with my attorneys prior to the trial commencement," he said.
Hayes’ trial is scheduled to start on Feb. 7. He could face the death penalty.