Trial postponed for man accused of killing baby and grandmother
The trial set to begin Sept.. 9 of Raghunandan Yandamuri has been postponed to give defense attorneys more time to prepare for the proceeding in the capital case. Yandamuri is accused of killing a 10-month-old baby and her grandmother in a plan to get ransom to pay off a gambling debt.
In a hearing Tuesday in Montgomery County Court, a judge postponed the trial of the King of Prussia man accused of killing a baby and her grandmother after the defendant's attorney asked for more preparation time. No new date has been set yet.
The trial of Raghunandan Yandamuri was set to begin Sept. 9 on charges including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and kidnapping for ransom. The Montgomery County District
Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty in the case.
On Oct. 22, 2012, authorities say, Yandamuri, 27, entered an apartment at the Marquis apartment complex on West Dekalb Pike in King of Prussia, where Satyavathi Venna, 61, was babysitting her 10-month-old granddaughter, Saanvi Venna.
Yandamuri, who lived in a different building at the same apartment complex, allegedly intended to kidnap the baby for ransom to pay off gambling debts, authorities say.
According to the criminal investigation, Yandamuri fatally stabbed the 61-year-old grandmother when she tried to keep him from taking Saanvi. After the assault, he allegedly took the baby, gagged her, and put her in a large blue suitcase. The baby was found dead Oct. 26.
"We relayed to the Court that we are prepared to proceed to trial. We continue to pursue this as first degree murder cases and as capital offenses," said First Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, who is prosecuting the case.
Judge Steven T. O'Neill granted the defense motion for a continuance after Yandamuri waived his right to a speedy trial.