This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Throughout a brief hearing Wednesday for a 15-year-old boy accused of killing 12-year-old Kailey Vijil, the teen's boyish face conveyed no emotion.

The shackled boy nodded when asked by 3rd District Juvenile Judge James Michie if he knew what was happening, and mumbled a soft, "yes," when asked if he understood the charge filed against him — first-degree felony aggravated murder.

But the West Valley City teen's attorneys told the judge they aren't sure he really understands what is going on in court.

"He's confused," defense attorney Patrick Corum told the judge Wednesday. "I think part of it is it's a scary process, a confusing process. I don't believe he really understands what's going on here today other than he's been accused of doing something."

It was the first time the boy had been in court since he was charged Tuesday with allegedly strangling the neighbor girl early Friday morning.

Michie spent much of the hearing carefully explaining the court process to the teen, telling him that he had a right to a trial — but that it might take a while to get to that point. The judge also told the defendant that prosecutors are asking that the case be moved to adult court.

"The juvenile justice system faces some difficult challenges when a child harms another child," Michie told the teen. "When there are allegations that a child has killed another child, those challenges become extreme."

After telling the judge that they had concerns about the boy understanding the court proceedings, the four-person defense team agreed that a future court date could be set.

The defendant will be back in court on Aug. 27 for a scheduling conference. At that time, dates for a preliminary hearing and certification hearing will likely be set.

At the preliminary hearing, Michie will hear evidence of the alleged crime and rule whether there is enough evidence for the case to move forward.

If he binds the case over for trial, it will then move to the certification hearing phase — where Michie will hear testimony about the boy's psychological and medical records, along with his family history and other testimony. The judge will then decide whether the case will stay in the juvenile system — where, if convicted, the teen would be released from custody at age 21 — or transfer the case to adult court.

If convicted as an adult, the teen faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He is not eligible for the death penalty because of his age.

After the hearing, Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney Patricia Cassell said prosecutors want the case tried in adult court based on "the severe nature of the offense."

Family members of the boy and the teen's attorneys declined to comment to the media after the Wednesday hearing.

The Salt Lake Tribune does not name juvenile defendants unless they have been certified to stand trial in adult court.

According to a probable cause statement filed in court, the teen boy knocked on Vijil's door at around midnight last Thursday, asking for help finding his lost cat.

Vijil's 14-year-old sister initially answered the door, but told the boy she wouldn't help him. The defendant then asked 12-year-old Kailey Vijil to help him, and she left the home with him, according to court records.

Her sister told their mother that Vijil had left with the defendant, according to court records, and when Vijil did not return home, the girls' mother contacted police.

Vijil was first reported missing at about 1:30 a.m. Friday, after her mother was out looking for her daughter and happened upon some police officers at a 7-Eleven near 3500 South and 5200 West, according to police.

Officers pinged Vijil's cell phone, which led them at about 2:55 a.m. to an overgrown horse pasture near 3600 South and 5200 West, about a half-mile from where the girl lived.

Court records indicate that officers found Vijil "lying in the field with a shirt wrapped around her neck." A medical examiner later determined the girl died from strangulation.

The suspect allegedly admitted to police that "he was with [Vijil] in a field during the time period that [she] was missing from her home," according to the probable cause statement.

Just 20 minutes before Vijil left with the boy, he allegedly went to another house in the neighborhood and asked if the woman's 11-year-old granddaughter could help him look for his cat. That girl's parents intervened, according to West Valley City police.

The grandmother later told police where the suspect lived, charges state.

At a Monday a detention hearing for the boy, 3rd District Juvenile Court Judge Kim Hornak determined he should continue to be held at a Salt Lake County juvenile detention facility because he was accused of murder and "possible sexual assault."

There are no allegations of sexual assault in the charging documents, which indicate that the aggravating factor in the case is that the victim was younger than 14.

Bail has been set at $1 million cash-only.

Court officials said that as of July 21, the boy's prior criminal record consists of three delinquency offenses: a class A misdemeanor burglary and a class B misdemeanor theft, both committed in February; and class A misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia committed last October.

The offenses resulted in the boy being placed in a detention facility in February for 32 days. In late May, he entered an observation and assessment facility, where he spent 44 days; he was put on probation July 9, court officials said.

Twitter: @jm_miller