With multiple people charged in connection with the May shooting death of 18-year-old Skylar Powell the Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney is looking to join the cases.

The six individuals charged in connection with the case include Justin Smith, Kyle Smith, Jay’Den Maynard, Dayne Matthews, Ashten Surritte and Gabriel Dawson. Prosecutors believe Powell was killed during a drug transaction and attempted robbery May 17 in the area of 2200 Calhoun.

A motion was filed by Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins on July 19. Scroggins said when cases go from the lower level to the circuit court level they are assigned to either Division 3 or Division 4. Because there are multiple defendants some were assigned to one and some to the other.

“The fairest way in my mind was to get them all together and put them in front of one judge,” Scroggins said. “It’s all the same witnesses, all the same evidence that’s the reason you can join them is for judicial economy.”

A hearing on the motion to join will be held Monday, Aug. 15 at 2:15 in Div. 3.