Trial Date Set For Nevada Teen Accused Of Killing Friends:

Garrett Matthew Mason

A trial date has been set for a Vernon County teenager accused of stabbing two friends to death last summer.

Garrett Matthew Mason 18, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action for the May 24, 2009, murders of Anne "Annie" Reed, 18 and Kylie Leyva, 14, at Reed's Nevada apartment.

Kyle Leyva (l) and Anne "Annie" Reed

In the probable cause statement filed with the charges, Nevada Police Officer Pamela Miller writes she and two other officers found Kylie Leyva (l.) and Anne "Annie" Reed (r.) suffering from multiple stab wounds to the neck about 6:25 p.m. Sunday at Reed's North Cedar Street residence.

Reed was able to get out of the apartment and run to a neighbors house for help. There she told the neighbor that Garrett Mason stabbed her and her friend. Three other witnesses told authorities in written statements that Mason came to their home with what appeared to be fresh blood on his body and his clothes. The witnesses told investigators that Mason changed his clothes, put them in a backpack and placed in the trunk of his car. He also asked them to provide him with an alibi by telling authorities that he spent the afternoon with them.

Kylie Leyva
Court documents reveal that Mason told investigators that he spent several hours with the girls at Reed's apartment before he allegedly stabbed them. Just a few hours before the attack, Kylie called her mother to tell her she was having fun watching movies with Annie.

Mason, lived across the street from from Reed, who was completing her senior year of high school. Leyva was a freshman. When authorities arrived at Mason's mother's house he was sitting on the curb waiting for them.







Anne "Annie" Reed

Court documents do not reveal a motive or indicate what may have led up to the fatal knife attack. However, only three witnesses testified at Mason's preliminary hearing before attorneys waived the proceeding. They testified that Reed and Leyva were in a text message fight with one of Mason's friends.

Mason had little criminal history before being charged with the girl's murder. In March of 2009, he pleaded guilty to possession of pot and drug paraphernalia and was given probation.

Lawyers for Mason filed motions with the court last October indicating that they believe an impartial jury cannot be selected from a county so close to where the crime took place.

Judge David Dally kept the trial in Jasper County but ruled that if a jury could not be seated at that time, he would reconsider the defense's objection. He also set a trial date for January 3, 2011.

The attorney generals office will assist Vernon County prosecutor Lynn Ewing with the case.






*****Link to Garrett Mason's MySpace page.