Jason Futch: reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
A suspect who was arrested for allegedly killing two Live Oak residents in July of 2022 has been given a pretrial continuance until August.
Benjamin Savage Ornes, 26, has been held at the Suwannee County Jail awaiting trial for the murder of Jean David Louis Charles and his wife, Colleen Lewis Charles. Both worked in the medical field and had recently relocated to Suwannee County from South Florida. Ornes, who was a neighbor of the Charleses, allegedly had ongoing property disputes with the couple prior to their deaths. Ornes was arrested by the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 16, 2024, over 18 months later.
His attorney, Nathan Marshburn with the public defender's office, requested a continuance on Ornes's pretrial hearing for Thursday, Aug. 21. Circuit Judge Mark Feagle granted Marshburn's request.
It is common for cases such as Ornes's to be granted a continuance, as both the defense and the state have an opportunity to prepare for trial. In some instances, it could be years before a murder trial is brought before the court. A timeline has not been established as to when he will be put on trial.