Panguitch • Attorneys on both sides of the aggravated murder case against a teen accused of killing a staffer at a southern Utah youth rehabilitation facility are opting to continue plea negotiations leading up to a scheduled June trial.

A pretrial conference was held Thursday before 6th District Judge Wallace Lee.

Defendant Clay Brewer, 18, of Snowflake, Ariz., wasn’t required to attend, and his attorney Ronald Yengich participated via phone.

Attorneys said they have been working well together and want to continue to try and reach an agreement prior to trial, but asked that the June 15 date stands in case they can’t ultimately come up with a resolution.

Brewer, then 17, was arrested and charged as an adult with first-degree felony aggravated murder, among other charges, following a Dec. 6, 2016, episode when he allegedly snapped while at a youth rehabilitation ranch north of Escalante.

Prosecutors say Brewer was sitting around a fire with other campers of Turn-About Ranch School when a staffer, Jimmy Woolsey, approached at about 7:30 a.m. Brewer struck Woolsey, 61, in the head several times with a piece of rebar. Woolsey was later taken to a hospital where he died.

Following the attack, campers rushed into a nearby cabin where they woke another staffer, Alicia Keller.

Keller held the door closed while Brewer allegedly tried to force his way in, threatening to kill everyone inside. Keller was able to keep him out, but in the process Brewer allegedly beat her hand — smashing her fingers — and hit her over the head.

She then gave Brewer keys to her car to get him to leave. Brewer fled and was shortly after chased by Garfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies, according to charges.

Deputy Eric Dunton and another officer forced Brewer to stop and arrested him. Brewer then admitted to killing Woolsey, telling Dunton that he was suffering from withdrawals during his five days at the camp, and started freaking out on his second day, charges state.

“I just wasn’t in my right mind,” Brewer told Dunton. “I’ve never seen myself like that before.”

When asked how many times he hit Woolsey, Brewer responded that he was “so petrified” that he couldn’t remember.

Going forward, Garfield County Barry Huntington is planning to meet Yengich in Salt Lake City in late April to discuss potential outcomes of the case in person. A status hearing is scheduled for May 24.