Supreme Court upholds conviction in cheerleader’s murder

The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the convictions of a Great Bend man who killed a 14-year-old cheerleader and burned her body at the asphalt plant where he worked.

The court in a 61-page ruling handed down Friday affirmed Adam Longoria’s capital murder conviction in the death of Alicia DeBolt.

It rejected defense arguments that publicity surrounding the case was so pervasive that he could not get a fair trial.

Alicia was last seen leaving her home in Great Bend for a party just before midnight on Aug. 21, 2010.

Text messages presented at trial showed the then 38-year-old Longoria picked Alicia up that night.

Her family reported her missing the next day, and her body was found three days later at the Venture Corp. plant where Longoria worked.

This story was originally published March 6, 2015 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Supreme Court upholds conviction in cheerleader’s murder."