This story has been updated.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of murdering four women who were sex workers in separate incidents last year will not appear in court until a final pretrial hearing October 3, according to Webb County, Texas records.
A hearing had been scheduled for August 8, a Webb County, Texas official said.
Ortiz has pleaded not guilty to four charges of capital murder after being arrested last September. The 35-year-old man and 10-year federal agent was taken into custody amid what the Webb County Sheriff’s Office alleged was a kidnapping.
“We do consider this to be a serial killer,” Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz said during a press conference following the arrest. “It meets the qualifications or definition of being a serial killer — in this case we have four people murdered.”
Law enforcement said the first murder is believed to have taken place Sept. 3, 2018. Law enforcement was able to recover all four bodies.
Ortiz is being held on a $2.56 million bond.
An earlier version of the story stated that a trial would begin this month, but Ortiz’s attorney filed a motion for a continuance.
