Not guilty pleas entered by two teens accused of murder

Two teenagers from the Great Circle Behavioral Health facility in Phelps County have entered a plea of not guilty to the murder of a 15-year-old who was also a patient at the facility. 17-year-old Cody Armistead and 18-year-old Enoch Phillips were arrested and charged with the murder of a 15-year-old victim and murdering the 15-year-old in an open field in St. James. The probable cause document filed in the Phelps County Circuit Court alleges that Armistead, Phillips, and a 15-year-old victim ran away from a behavioral health facility on Sept. 16. The next day, both Armistead and Phillips returned to the facility without the 15-year-old. The teens told staff they didn’t know where the 15-year-old was. After locating the body, officers transported Armistead to the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office where he told officers that at one point in the evening prior to the teen’s death, he and Phillips talked about assaulting the 15-year-old. A bond reduction for Armistead was denied by the courts on Sept. 30. Phillips’ bond was reviewed on Sept. 22 and modification to his bond was denied. The court noted that Phillips is “a danger to the community” and “a flight risk.” Phillips has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 20 at 9:00 a.m. Armistead has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 9 at 9 a.m.