The Dylan Smith murder case is seeing new developments in Knox Circuit Court.

Smith is accused in the August 5th death of Taylor Hendershot in Vincennes.

As reported earlier this week, Smith’s defense has filed a motion for a change of venue.

In the venue motion, attorney Brock Dawson argued that community response—including memorial events and extensive local media coverage—makes it unlikely Smith could receive a fair trial in Knox County. The defense also pointed to the victim’s close family ties to a sitting county judge as a factor that could complicate jury selection.

In response, Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan urged the court to deny the request. He said the defense’s filing came more than 30 days after Smith’s initial hearing, making it untimely.

Carnahan also argued the defense had not shown evidence of prejudicial publicity or that an impartial jury could not be seated. He said news coverage and community memorials are typical after a violent crime and do not, on their own, prove jurors would be unable to remain fair. He added that juror questioning during the selection process is the proper way to address concerns about bias.

Carnahan noted Knox County’s population of more than 35,000, saying attendance at vigils or memorials represented only a fraction of potential jurors.

The court will now consider both the defense claims and the state’s objections as the case moves forward.