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Alleged Thrill Killer Tries to Get Confession Thrown Out

SUNBURY — Defense attorneys for the Craigslist suspect argued in Northumberland County court on Tuesday that her confession to the killing last November s...

SUNBURY -- Defense attorneys for the Craigslist suspect argued in Northumberland County court on Tuesday that her confession to the killing last November should be thrown out because she wasn't under arrest and was not given an attorney.

Miranda Barbour's case is getting national attention because she claims she has killed before in other parts of the country.

The hearing centered on Miranda Barbour's defense attorney trying to get her confession to state police thrown out.

Most of that confession to the killing of Troy LaFerrra was played in court. On the videotape, Barbour admitted to meeting LaFerrara on Craigslist, and said, "As soon as I put the car in park, everything flipped upside down."

Miranda Barbour did not say anything as she walked in to the Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury for a hearing.

Barbour and her husband Elytte are accused of killing Troy LaFerrara of Port Trevorton in November of 2013 after meeting him on Craigslist.

In December, Barbour confessed to state police that she stabbed LaFerrara.

Now her defense attorney is trying to get that confession thrown out, saying Barbour's rights were violated during the videotaped interview because she wasn't given an attorney.

On December 2 and 3, 2013, Barbour voluntarily came to the state police barracks near Selinsgrove.

Snyder County District Attorney Mike Piecuch testified that the interview could proceed without an attorney because Barbour was not in custody and came in of her own free will. Piecuch says Barbour was given the opportunity to call a lawyer,but she did not, saying she could not afford one.

She called her husband Elytte instead, saying, "I can talk to them without a lawyer but I'm uncomfortable with that."

Piecuch said Barbour knew she was free to leave anytime she wanted, but she chose not to saying, "I don't want to leave without telling you what I have to say."

The Snyder County D.A. testified that Barbour was not given a public defender during the interview, because she was not under arrest or charged with anything.

But Barbour's attorney argued that the public defender's office should have been called anyway just to be cautious before the interview took place.

We asked Miranda Barbour's defense attorney why he is trying to get the confession to state police thrown out, when Barbour later told a newspaper reporter she killed LaFerrara and more than 20 other people around the country. He did not comment.

No decision about the confession was made. The hearing is scheduled to resume at a later date for more testimony and more motions.

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