Mo. girl, 15, pleads not guilty in 9-year-old's slaying

UPDATED: Bustamante has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution's alleged motive?

Earlier Wednesday, a police officer testified that Bustamante had confessed to killing Elizabeth because she wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.

Police testified that Elizabeth Olten did nothing to provoke the attack against her, and that the teenage suspect led authorities to the girl’s body after they questioned her.

Asked by juvenile justice attorney Samantha Green whether the teen gave a reason for killing the girl, highway patrol Sgt. David Rice replied “ultimately, she stated she wanted to know what it felt like.”

UPDATED: The News Tribune reports that Alyssa Bustamante, 15, has been certified to stand trial as an adult.

PREVIOUSLY: In Jeff City, a judge is going to hear arguments today whether the 15-year-old accused of murdering Elizabeth Olten, 9, in Cole County should be tried as an adult. (Olten disappeared while walking home a couple of weeks ago. Her body was later found in a wooded area.)

How do they decide if a youth should be treated as an adult? Slate's Explainer feature had a piece on this a few years ago:

The factors judges consider also vary by state, but based on the Supreme Court's direction in Kent v. United States, they generally include the following: the nature and circumstances of the crime; whether the offense was committed in an aggressive, violent, or premeditated manner; the merit of the charges; the sophistication, maturity, and prior history of the minor; the need to protect the public; and the likelihood that the child can be treated and rehabilitated.

Like all judicial findings, these decisions are subject to appeal.

File photo of Olten above ...

Comments

[Pat the Rat]

Yes, she should.

[Searching]

We dont know any of the exacts on how she died. Wase she chasing herand the kid fell and hit her head on something. then no
Did the teen strangle her to death, yes.
See where I am going with this?

[zig]

she most certainly should be tried as a adult. She is old enough to murder a child she should pay for it.

[Christine]

Yes. She slit her wrists & throat, premeditated. She dug 2 graves 1 week before!

[Searching]

wait, did I miss something? When did that info come out?

[Searching]

Who was supposed to be in the other grave?

[Tam]

Christine, do you have a link for that information?

[Searching]

So, it's not just me. Christine, are you somehow connected to this story?

[Jo Jo]

I'm just waiting for KCC. The rest of these comments mean nothing. We're a civilized nation, you know.

[Searching]

What is KCC?

[Tam]

KC Cicero, I think Search.

[Searching]

I have searched story after story and I dont see that this info has been released.
christine, come back and tell us more.

[Christine]

http://s918.photobucket.com/albums/ad28/suspix/?action=view&current=abustamanteutube.jpg&newest=1

That is pretty interesting. I just read about everything on other websites...blugs & such. I heard she was buried in a grave & covered with leaves, which is why they didn't find her the 1st time they searched. I'm in no way connected with this, I live in PA. I just follow up on the news. ...

[Jane]

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

Whether you're rich or whether you're poor
It matters not to Him
He remembers where you're going
Not where you've been
Unless you’ve been charged with murder
Than you’ll be stuck in the pen
Till we can hang you from the lowest limb!

[Searching]

where was that link supposed to take us?

[clive]

yes, he should come to supermax. No one would see him then. He would be about as isolated as you can there.

[Christine]

From what I heard the 15yr old is the older sister to the little girl she was playing with and that she had planned the murder out for about a week before committing it. She should be tried as an adult. If this was a 15yr old male they wouldn't be stalling for a 2nd court hearing. 15 is old enough to know right from wrong and she evidently knew what she was doing if she could conceal the body so well that searchers and cadaver dogs couldn't even find Elizabeth after searching that area.

Rainspirited
10:04 AMOct 29 2009
Apparently, she dug the grave days before she planned the murder. She stabbed her several times and slit her throat. Tried as an adult??? What do you think???

[Searching]

Jane.. you are seriously warped.

[Jane]

Thank you Search, I try!

[Searching]

What is rainspirited?

[Searching]

I found this in true crime report, the cousin of the accused comments on the bottom.

[Christine]

Searching::I just copied that from a blog, I think Rainspirited in someone's name. I got this info from another News Page...

Another persistent theory is that the female suspect dug a grave in the woods in advance of the murder.

Many say that's plausable for two reasons:

One, the charge of first degree murder means authorities believe the murder was pre-meditated. Also, searchers had a hard time finding Elizabeth's body.

"We had been through that area, actually more than once," says Cole County Sheriff Greg White. "The body was very well concealed."

[FlyBoyGA]

Christine, "you heard" is not information; it is a rumor. This is why people need to reference a source when making such claims. Everyone "hears" things, it is what you can prove or source that makes it important.

It is okay to say she should be tried as an adult or not as one, as long as you make reference to your position. (ie. If it was premeditated, then she should be tried as an adult) Everyone jumps to yes and no when they have no evidence presented to them to justify either answer. They are simply passing judgment on ignorance.

Collect facts, not hearsay.

[Carissa]

ABSOLUTELY. She has a webpage where one of her hobbies was listed (some time ago) as "KILLING PEOPLE." She led authorities to the well-concealed body. All you bleeding hearts, think about how you would view this if YOUR child was the victim.

[Christine]

Authorities have her diary

[James Hart]

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, Christine. Start linking to a source if you're going to post information like this.

[FlyBoyGA]

Where are you two getting this information, because it is not in the article above.

Reference your statements.

[Christine]

I found this on Websleuths:

"Nothing is a 100 percent guarantee but I am going to put this out there for you to decide.

According to my source;

*The last entry in AB’s diary was: “I should have gone to church.”

*AB dug two graves the week before

*A silk scarf was used.

Let me stress again, this came from a source's source. The only time I will solidly confirm something is if I see it with my own eyes. In this case I felt good enough about my source to post it. We'll see if it turns out to be true. "

[Jane]

The source’s source turned out to be someone else’s source which made it all silly of course!

[Christine]

haha

[FlyBoyGA]

You finally posted correctly by noting that your source is not confirmed and that this is speculation.

The problem is that people read a random comment and then run with it and the next thing you know, everyone around town is spreading false information.

Verify source, even if it is not a verified source, state that!

Thanks you Christine.

[Christine]

AB

[Christine]

Your WelcomeS FlyBoy

http://primewriter.com/news-1246-headlines/?p=172

[Jane]

Stupid Maladjusted Americans please stop breeding F**ked up kids.

Thank you,
The Rest of America

[Searching]

I just found this on youtube

[FlyBoyGA]

The link leads to an interesting article that appears to be opinion based more then factual. The writer, Melissa Finlay, misused very key words such as "electrocuting" to depict a more graphic but incorrect image. Also, "forensic psychologists" should be names since the whole sentence is a very damning. It seems that this is also based mostly on hearsay instead of fact. Notice creditable sources reference by hyper-linking the statement to their source.

I'm not bashing independent reporting. Some of the biggest stories in history have been brought by independents, however, all reporters have a responsibility to reference their sources.

[Christine]

Thats awesome Searching!

[FlyBoyGA]

My post above is in reference to Christine's link, not Searching's link.

[Jane]

I also found this on youtube

[Christine]

I think we get it flyboy, you don't need to explain.

Highway Patrol Criminal Investigator Sgt. David Rice said that there were two graves dug on the Friday, Oct. 16, the week before Olten’s death. Police are not releasing information on who the other grave was for. Bustamante had a chance to dig the graves because there was no school that day for parent teacher conferences.

[Searching]

Is that an alarm? Jane.. time for your meds. :)

[Keith G. in P.V.]

It is not my intention to get the girl off the hook. But I ask you to consider this:

If she's tried as an adult and aquitted, does she then get to:
- Obtain a full driver's license
- Purchase and drink alcoholic beverages in public
- Have sex with any consenting partner of legal age
- Vote in the next election
- Enter into contracts
- Marry without parental consent
- Join the military without parental consent
??????
Why do I ask? Because these are rights and privileges granted as kids AGE and REACH MILESTONES and become FULLY RECOGNIZED ADULTS. None of which she is entitled to at her age.

If the court can determine she's an "adult" for purpose of prosecution, shouldn't she, at that time, be entitled to ALL the benefits thereof?

Or is this just a "special" thing for when the public, the judge, the prosecutors feel especially vindictive?

[Jane]

Oh I'm sure I should be on some kind of meds after reading some of the stuff on these boards lol

[Pat the Rat]

Jane-You havent tried that recipie for homemade prosac I sent, have you?

[Bryan]

Why do we consider 15 year olds adults only when it comes to crimes? We are saying that they have the mental capacity and maturity to understand the crime they committed, but not to decide whether they want to smoke, drink, or who they want to have sex with. That's pretty hypocritical.

[Jane]

Homemade prozac = chocolate and mary jane

[Man in a Mission]

The girl, identified as Alyssa Bustamante, has been charged as an adult. I didn't have anything to add to the earlier stages of this conversation (I think Searching has done a very good job of trying to herd the cats).

I don't know the particulars of the crime, but I think that when one gets out of the major cities, the courts do a better job of actually considering the case before just rubber-stamping a prosecutor's request to certify a juvenile as an adult. So, unless something contradictory comes out, I am going to defer to the judgement of the court in this case.

I pray and hope that the victim's family can find peace, solace and healing. I hope the family of the girl who apparently committed this crime can find the same. Finally, I hope that if Alyssa Bustamante is found guilty that she can grow and learn and perhaps one day find a place in society as someone other than a murderer.

[Searching]

Well, Jane.. did you try it?

[Keith G. in P.V.]

Bryan, it's not just hypocritical. It gives prosecutors and the public the ability to be more vindictive than usual. Logic and ethics aren't involved. Heck, often they're not available.

MiaM, for premeditated murder in the 1st degree, she's elegible for the big 3-in-1 injection.

[Pat the Rat]

Bryan-So are you saying the instant her victim exhaled her final breath, she should be allowed to buy beer?

Lets address the criminal issue before anyone answers that. I mean wether or not she should be allowed other adult rights and privledges is extremely overshadowed by the fact that she might kill again if she isnt locked up. Maybe it would be discussion worthy if she were tried as an adult, incarcerated, then released [for whatever reason] before her 18th or 21st birthday.

Until that happens, why even ask if she should be entitled to adult rights when she is a psycho killer awaiting trial?

Comments?