The teen accused of murdering 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Ashley Doolittle appeared in court in person Thursday morning with a new lawyer.

Days after public defense attorney Daniel Jasinski filed a motion to set bond for the teen (which was denied by Magistrate Matthew Zehe), Tanner Flores appeared in court with his new lawyer, Janet Laughton, in a full courtroom at the Larimer County Justice Center. According to the Coloradoan, Flores appearing in-person was an "essential early step" in court proceedings.

His next court appearance is scheduled for July 21, where defense and prosecution will hold a status conference and discuss next steps in the case.

Flores faces murder and kidnapping charges after shooting Doolittle twice in the head with his father's .22-caliber revolver on June 9 in Larimer County. He drove her body to Mesa County where he was arrested at his late grandfather's ranch in Collbran; he has since been transferred to Larimer County Jail. He also had a protection order issued against him this week, restricting him from coming within 50 yards of Doolittle's parents and brother.

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