Savoie Returns To Grant County Court For Retrial

After serving five years in prison for murder, Evan Savoie returned back to a Grant County courtroom Tuesday saying he did not commit the crime.

Savoie was convicted of killing his playmate Craig Sorger when he was 12-years-old. Sorger was stabbed to death and beaten, his body left in an Ephrata park.

But a trial error overturned Savoie’s conviction and Tuesday he was facing a judge once again. In court Savoie asked to be appointed his first attorney, Monty Hormel, who represented him at his first murder trial.

“I never have thought he was guilty. I still don’t think he’s guilty. I want him to be found not guilty,” Hormel said.

After the hearing Savoie said he hopes to re-introduce evidence that wasn’t allowed in the first murder case.

An appeals court ruling that Savoie did not get a fair murder trial has the now 21-year-old back in Grant County court. He was 12 when he was found guilty of murdering 13-year-old Craig Sorger, who was beaten and stabbed more than 30 times.

Hormel says previously un-submitted evidence could make a big difference this time around.

“The judge is going to have to decide what evidence can come in and the judge we had the first time was pretty stingy with it,” Hormel said.

Savoie talked to his dad Monday night; his parents are happy with Hormel’s return and now wait to see how things unfold.

Savoie’s murder trial is set for January 19, but Hormel says he’s going to ask the court to get that date pushed back.