The death penalty capital murder trial of a short-term Rockdale resident accused of squeezing a 20-month-old child to death in 2018 probably won’t happen for another 15 months, at least.
That’s the opinion of Prosecutor Bill Torrey, concerning the trial of 31-year-old Shayla Boniello, accused of killing Patricia Ann “Annie” Rader in a Rockdale residence.
“I doubt the trial will begin until on, or after, Jan. 1, 2022,” Torrey told The Reporter.
COVID FACTOR—One factor in the delay is, of course, the COVID-19 situation which has impacted the pace of judicial scheduling everywhere, not just in Milam County.
“Also, the lead defense attorney has a fourmonth capital murder trial in Medina County scheduled ahead of this one,” Torrey said.
Boniello was last in court on March 4 for a procedural session. At that time it was anticipated there would be a pre-trial hearing on Oct. 5 with the trial itself anticipated to begin Jan. 4, 2021.
That’s not going to happen. Instead, another procedural hearing has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 12 in Judge Youngblood’s 20th District Court.
The March hearing featured some preliminary skirmishing between the prosecution and defense.
Judge Youngblood granted a prosecution motion to quash (suppress) a defense motion to subpoena a reporter’s notes in connection with the case.
Also during the hearing Youngblood denied a motion to lower bond from $3-million to $500,000. Bond had originally been set at $750,000 but was raised to $3-million in a hearing.
NAME CHANGE—Boniello, who was also known as Shawn Vincent Boniello at the time of the offense, has been described as a male transitioning to a female.”
During the March 4 hearing, it was revealed another court has granted a legal name change to “Shayla Angelina Boniello.”
The prosecution, defense and bench referred to the defendant as “her” throughout the hearing.
CONFESSION—A n arrest affidavit by Rockdale Police Lt. Stephen Goodrich in 2018 said Boniello confessed “out of anger and frustration” to squeezing Annie Rader for about three minutes until feeling “bones begin to pop and crush.”
Goodrich’s affidavit indicated police were called to a San Gabriel Street residence at 5:44 p.m. Dec. 3, 2018, by the victim’s uncle and found the “unresponsive” toddler had sustained extensive injuries including “scratches, bruising and swollen knots on her head, neck, arms, stomach and legs.”
Sgt. Jody Tillery and emergency workers attempted to render aid. Rader was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. by J-P Andy Isaacs.
Family members said Boniello had moved to Rockdale in October to be with the child’s custodial grandfather.
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