CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Supreme Court has granted a motion to expedite the appeal of extradition filed in the case of a man accused of killing four Denver-area people in 1984.
Alexander Christopher Ewing, 58, is suspected of killing an Aurora couple and their 7-year-old child in 1984. Investigators say he beat Bruce, Debra and Melissa Bennett to death with a hammer.
A 3-year-old girl survived the attack but was left with serious injuries.
Six days earlier, Ewing allegedly broke into a Lakewood home and killed 50-year-old Patricia Smith by beating her with a different hammer.
Ewing has been in a Nevada prison since summer 1984 after escaping there while being taken from St. George, Utah, to Kingman, Arizona, for a court appearance on attempted murder and burglary charges.
In August, Ewing’s DNA was linked to the four metro Denver killings.
In December, a Nevada judge ordered Ewing be sent to Colorado to face trial. Ewing appealed the effort to extradite him. However, on Tuesday, the Nevada Supreme Court granted the motion to expedite the appeal.
“We will continue to aggressively and appropriately pursue the return of Ewing to our jurisdiction,” said Colorado’s 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler in an email to FOX31 and Channel 2. “Delays will not deter us from pursuing justice for these innocent victims, despite the 34 years that have elapsed since their murders.”
According to the Brauchler’s office, the next deadline in the Nevada process is April 15, when Ewing’s appellate brief is due.