By Tori Richards

November 20, 2006

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SALT LAKE CITY, Ut. (Crime Library) — A loner who allegedly confessed to suffocating 5-year-old Destiny Norton then keeping her body in his basement for a week has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Craig Roger Gregerson, 20, was in court for five minutes Friday and answered "yes your honor" when asked by the judge if he gave up his right for a preliminary hearing. That means the case will proceed to trial. His next court date is Nov. 27 for an arraignment.

Craig Gregerson

A team of four defense attorneys stood in front of Gregerson in an attempt to shield him from the view of the press. One of his attorneys, Michael Peterson, told the judge they had already received "full and complete" evidence from the prosecution and would waive the hearing.

"What they're saying is, 'We've got all the state's evidence and we know that they'd prevail (at the hearing), so why don't we move on?' said Salt Lake County Deputy District Attorney Robert Stott, who is prosecuting the case. The standard for ordering a defendant to stand trial is much higher than at a preliminary hearing.  

Stott said he has not offered any type of plea bargain and has not decided whether to seek the death penalty for Gregerson, who is charged with murder and enhancements of kidnapping and desecrating a body.

Rachael Norton

Gregerson's attorneys refused to speak to the media; however Stott said he was "definitely" prepared to take the case to trial with Destiny's mother, Rachael Norton, as a witness. Rachael's husband, Rick, is in no shape to take the witness stand, he added.

Destiny Norton

Destiny was playing on the yard in front of her Salt Lake City home on July 16 when she disappeared, touching off a frantic search by hundreds of volunteers. Rachael Norton was eight months pregnant with Destiny's sister and remained strong and steadfast as the ensuing days dragged on with no sign of her daughter. However, Destiny was a daddy's girl and her father, Ricky, was unable to even speak of his daughter without bursting into tears.

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