Trial pushed back for man accused of killing Riley Whitelaw at a Colorado Springs Walgreens

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - The upcoming trial for a man accused of a murder inside a Colorado Springs Walgreens store has been delayed.

Joshua Johnson is accused of killing 17-year-old Riley Whitelaw in the break room of a Walgreens where the two worked. Johnson is pleading not guilty.

The suspect was present in the courtroom today, and his defense requested the trial be pushed back and said they need more time to go over evidence- including new D-N-A evidence.

The judge granted this request and the prosecution said they had no objection.

The defense also requested the trial be moved out of Colorado Springs, and submitted evidence of what they call “bias in the community” which includes news coverage about the case. The judge told the defense the alleged evidence doesn’t come close to proving the venue needs to be changed.

The prosecution also entered several motions.

New evidence was submitted which the prosecution says includes conversations Whitelaw had with friends and other Walgreens employees about how Johnson’s reported romantic advances made her uncomfortable. A voicemail Whitelaw left about Johnson has also been submitted.

The judge told both sides these statements are hearsay, but said they could show motive and that the jury needs to hear them.

Johnson’s new trial is set for May 8 and the judge said they will be pulling from a pool of 130 potential jurors.

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