Court proceedings for Kirby Calderwood have been delayed once more, though possibly for the final time.
The 35-year-old Utah man was indicted in September 2022 for the abduction and murder of Anesha “Duffy” Murnane, who went missing in Homer in October 2019.
An omnibus, or pretrial, hearing held last Wednesday, Dec. 17, was continued to Jan. 21 after a short session at the Kenai Court House in which Calderwood’s defense attorney, Michael Moberly, asked for “sufficient time” to work out the final details of a plea agreement with the prosecution. Kenai Assistant District Attorney Jon Iannaccone, representing the State of Alaska, stated no objection to continuing the hearing to iron out the details.
Calderwood’s trial has been postponed nearly two dozen times since his arraignment in November 2022. He remains in custody at the Wildwood Pretrial Facility in Kenai.
Michael Huelsman, spokesperson for Murnane’s family, said that the defense previously requested a delay at the last omnibus hearing held Oct. 27 to allow time for plea negotiations. Huelsman said that was the first time plea negotiations were mentioned in court since Calderwood’s arraignment, adding that neither he, speaking on behalf of the family, nor the prosecutor opposed the delay.
Huelsman wrote in an email to Homer News last Wednesday, following the hearing, that the adjudication of the case was delayed for over three years as the defense reviewed “a large amount” of evidence. The defense said at the Oct. 27 hearing that they had finished reviewing evidence and were “ready to discuss a possibility of a negotiated settlement with the prosecution.” They asked for a 60-day delay and were granted 51 days, to Dec. 17.
“It is the family’s view that the best outcome for all concerned, including the defendant, the family, the people of Homer, etc., is for there to be a negotiated settlement of the case as outlined by the prosecutor to family members in late October of this year,” Huelsman wrote. “Our take from the hearing today is that a settlement consistent with the prosecutor’s outline to us appears close. Thus we are hopeful that a plea agreement will soon be reached.”
Twenty community members from Homer, Soldotna, Nikiski and Anchorage attended the Dec. 17 hearing in person as “court watchers,” hoping to signal to the judge “how strongly the community cares about this case,” Huelsman said.
One of those court watchers, Homer resident Shirley Evans, said that Iannaccone told their group he “fully anticipates” the final details of the plea detail will be worked out in the coming weeks, “likely or hopefully” before the Jan. 21 hearing.
Trial week remains scheduled to begin Feb. 17 at 8:30 a.m. in Kenai, though that may be vacated if a plea agreement goes through.
Both Calderwood’s defense attorney and the state prosecution declined to comment on the proceedings.
Previous reporting on the case can be found on the Homer News website.
A police mugshot of Kirby Calderwood, 34, of Ogden, Utah, the man charged in the murder and kidnapping of Anesha “Duffy” Murnane. (Photo provided/Homer Police)
