PORT ARTHUR, Texas — The murder trial of a Port Arthur man has been moved back due to concerns of COVID-19.
Larnell Mosley is one of two men accused of murdering 35-year-old Jose Ray Riojas in January of 2020.
Mosley's trial was set to begin next week, but on Wednesday morning, Judge Raquel West said the trial would be moved back due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
The availability of a DNA expert who was going to be called as a witness was also mentioned in court as a reason for rescheduling the trial. The new trial date has not yet been determined.
Mosely is currently being held in the Jefferson County Jail on a $750,000 bond according to jail records.
Police said Riojas was at his home, in the 4500 block of Sunken Court, when he was shot multiple times on Jan. 22, 2020. According to court documents, when Riojas answered the door, Jeremy Roy and Larnell Mosley pushed their way in.
Within seconds, Mosely fired the first shot, then Roy fired at least one round. Roy and Mosely stole a gun from Riojas and fled. Surveillance video of the getaway car helped investigators identify the men, according to an arrest affidavit.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.