JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Johnathan Quiles, who is charged in the rape and murder of his pregnant niece Iyana Sawyer, appeared Wednesday via Zoom in court, where that case and a separate case were discussed.
Quiles, 37, of Jacksonville, is also charged with sexual battery on another girl, and the state attorney’s office filed three new counts of lewd and lascivious molestation in that case.
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On Wednesday, both sides agreed to delay his sexual assault trial, which was set to start Monday, because of the addition of several witnesses.
Quiles’ murder trial is still on for December, and the judge has granted a defense request to have a forensic psychologist conduct a mental examination of Quiles before that trial. It’s a death penalty case.
Quiles’ next court date is Aug 4.
Sawyer, 16, was last seen leaving Jacksonville’s Terry Parker High School in December 2018. She was later reported missing, but her remains have not been found, despite an extensive search of a local landfill.
Quiles was indicted in July 2019 on murder charges in the death of Sawyer and her unborn child. He was also indicted on a sexual battery charge. According to the indictment, Quiles, who is believed to be the father of the child, shot Sawyer.