KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The state of Missouri dropped two charges against Kyle Yust in his trial for murder.
Yust was charged with two counts each of first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse in connection to the deaths of Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions.
The state on Thursday dropped the abandonment of corpse charges in a hearing on pre-trial motions.
The dismissal was a mutual agreement between both parties, according to 41 Action News crews in the courtroom.
Yust's lawyers argued the abandonment of corpse charges violated the self-incrimination clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
His defense had filed a motion to dismiss the case on the grounds the state failed to properly investigate the case.
The first-degree murder charges remain in place after Thursday's ruling, however.
The court also heard other pre-trial motions Thursday.
Yust’s lawyers filed a motion to make a recording of his alleged confession inadmissible in court.
The confession was captured while a former girlfriend wore a wire during a conversation with Yust at the FBI’s direction a year after Kopetsky disappeared.
The state argues the recording is admissible since Yust made the confession voluntarily, both while the witness was wearing a wire and while she was not.
A decision on that motion was pushed to March 11.
The judge also heard testimony Thursday on the defense's motion to limit character evidence as it relates to sentencing.
The trial is set to begin April 5.
The judge in the case has been asked to make a decision on venue.
Though both parties agreed to hold the trial in Cass County and bring jurors in from St. Charles County, there are concerns about the high publicity of the case in the Kansas City area.
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41 Action News is committed to bringing you complete coverage of the trial of Kylr Yust, the man accused in the murders of Kara Kopetsky and Jessica Runions. Visit kshb.com/yusttrial for all our stories, case details, timeline and more.
