It may seem like it's taking a long time for any movement in the case against the two teens accused of killing 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale, whose body was found in a recycling bin in October 2012 days after she went missing from her father's Clayton home.

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Staff Photo
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But, murder cases can often take the better part of two years to get through the court system.

"I think people watch Law and Order and see cases get wrapped up in a half hour and that's just not how it actually happens," said Jason Laughlin, spokesman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. "The average length of time it takes for a case to make it through the justice system in Camden County is 18 months and this is not just murder cases, any case. A murder case can take longer than that. A two year turnaround is not unusual for a case of this kind."

One of the issues that has to be addressed is the fact that the accused, 15 and 17 year olds Justin and Dante Robinson, are juveniles.

"We have made it known that we intend to attempt to waive the juveniles and there's a process that goes into that," said Laughlin. "There's some hearings that need to be had and evidence that needs to be gathered because we do plan to seek to try them as adults."

A waiver hearing has not yet been set, but a detention hearing is set for tomorrow, which is really a status conference to make sure everyone is up to speed on the case and where it stands at this point.

Pasquale was reported missing in October 2012 after she left her father's Clayton home on her BMX bicycle.

After a days-long search, her body was found in a recycling bin on a property next to the Robinsons' house. The boys were arrested shortly thereafter. The case was moved from the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office to the Camden County Prosecutor in February after the Pasquale family filed a tort claim notice against the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

Such a notice informs government agencies of potential civil lawsuits.

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