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Iowa murder charge refiled against Nebraska 16-year-old

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March 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa prosecutors have again charged a Nebraska 16-year-old with helping to rob and kill a man. The adult murder charge against Xavier Smith Catchings, of Omaha, was refiled after a jurisdiction hearing in Council Bluffs. He and two other people are accused of killing Council Bluffs resident Adam Angeroth.

Prosecutors initially charged the boy in district court and then sought dismissal and his referral to juvenile court because the crime alleged occurred when the boy was 15. The prosecutors said juveniles charged with forcible felonies must be at least 16 when the crimes occurred for the charges to be directly filed to district courts.

A judge ruled Thursday that Smith Catchings’ case should be returned to district court because it was unlikely he’d be rehabilitated in the juvenile system.