A district court judge on Wednesday scheduled a reverse transfer hearing for Nefi Ezequiel Armijo Hernandez, an Eagle County juvenile who is accused of murder and set to be tried as an adult.

A reverse transfer order, if granted, would send Armijo Hernandez back to juvenile court.

Armijo Hernandez was 16 years old on April 24, 2024, when an altercation in a Gypsum park between local teens resulted in the stabbing of Jackson Davis, 14, who died from his injuries. The incident was recorded by local teens who were at the park at the time, and Armijo Hernandez was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Following the May decision by the 5th Judicial District to try Armijo Hernandez as an adult, Armijo Hernandez’s attorneys in June began the process of seeking to remand the case to juvenile court via a reverse transfer hearing.

A reverse transfer hearing that was originally scheduled for February was delayed following a status conference on Jan. 22.

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Now set for July 14-17, the reverse transfer hearing will also include Armijo Hernandez’s preliminary hearing on his charges which — in addition to the first-degree murder charge — also include a second-degree murder charge, two charges of a violent crime involving death, and a charge of conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon.

Armijo Hernandez will have to appear in person each day of the hearing, which means he may have to be transported back and forth from Rocky Mountain Youth Services Center in Denver, where he is currently being housed.

On Wednesday, Judge Rachel J. Olguin-Fresquez, Assistant District Attorney Joe Kirwan and defense attorney Angela Campbell, who is representing Armijo Hernandez, discussed the possibility of housing Armijo Hernandez somewhere in Eagle County during the hearing. Kirwan said he didn’t think there would be local facilities available which could adhere to the “sight and sound” provision of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, which states that juvenile inmates shall not be placed in a housing unit in which the youthful inmate will have sight, sound, or physical contact with any adult inmate.

Campbell said she will likely seek testimony from a corporal at the Youthful Offender System during the July hearing.

The Youthful Offender System is a Colorado Department of Corrections facility in Pueblo that houses juveniles and young adults ranging from 14 to 19 years of age.

“One of the corporals there would give testimony about the program and the types of services that could be offered should the court grant a reverse transfer,” Campbell said.