The judge, the prosecution and the defense remained behind closed doors today at 1:30 when a status hearing was to begin for Alyssa Bustamante, 16, who is charged as an adult in the slaying of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten.

Bustamante, who was 15 at the time, is currently being held without bond in Morgan County, under the supervision of the Morgan County sheriff, who is working in tandem with Cole County Sheriff Greg White. Bustamante has pleaded not guilty to the stabbing death of Olten in October 2009.

After nearly 20 minutes in the judge’s chamber, the attorneys emerged and the hearing began. At issue, again, was whether Bustamante should be allowed to finish high school while she’s incarcerated.

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Cole County Presiding Judge Pat Joyce ruled on one of three motions filed today in the Alyssa Bustamante hearing.

Bustamante, 16, is accused of strangling and stabbing to death 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten of rural St. Martins, outside Jefferson City.

Olten family outside court house. Photo: Deborah Cote/News Tribune

Bustamante was not present at Wednesday’s hearing, but Judge Joyce granted the defense attorneys’ request that Bustamante be allowed to wear street clothes and non-visible restraints when she does appear in court, instead of a jail uniform and shackles.

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The status hearing for Alyssa Bustamante in Central Missouri has been pushed back. Cole County prosecutor Mark Richardson says the hearing set for today has been rescheduled for April 28th.

At issue was jury selection, which happened Friday.

Richardson says a Greene County jury will be selected there and then brought to Jefferson City in Cole County for the trial.

Bustamante is accused of killing 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten near Jefferson City. Bustamante is a juvenile but will be tried as an adult.

Bustamante’s attorneys have requested she wear street clothes and minimal restraints for upcoming hearings and trial, but the court has not issued a ruling on that yet.

Authorities say Bustamante led them to Olten’s body, which was buried in the woods. She had been strangled, stabbed and her throat had been cut.

AUDIO: Interview with Prosecutor Mark Richardson 3 min MP3

A status hearing was held today in Jefferson City in the case Alyssa Bustamante, who is accused of killing 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten in rural Cole County.

Attorneys Don Catlett, left, and Charles Moreland, public defenders assigned to the Alyssa Bustamante's murder case, were in court Tuesday morning to ask for a change of venue hearing for their client. Photo courtesy Julie Smith / Jefferson City News Tribune

The case has received national attention, and although Bustamante’s attorneys requested to move the trial to different county, Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce decided to select a jury from outside of Cole County and keep the proceedings locally centered, taking the family members into consideration.

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