PENDLETON – Murder suspect Tyson Dean Prock spurned a plea deal Monday afternoon and was scheduled for trial starting Feb. 4.

Attorneys worked on the deal last week, but the prosecution didn’t know whether Prock would accept the offer until the hearing.

“It is not done and won’t be done,” said Dennis Hachler, defense attorney.

Five members of victim Gerald Wryn’s family were in attendance, including his brother and sister-in-law from Indiana.

Prock, 22, allegedly shot Wryn in the back of the head at Wryn’s Milton-Freewater home Dec. 4.

He told police he was sexually assaulted for years by Wryn, and made a full admission in the case, according to the prosecution and defense.

Prock is charged with aggravated murder, murder, first-degree burglary with a firearm, first-degree burglary, first-degree theft, felon in possession of a firearm and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

If convicted of aggravated murder, he could face the death penalty and the prosecution hasn’t ruled out that option, said Dean Gushwa, deputy district attorney.

Hachler said he may have to withdraw from the case, but did not give the court a reason.

Motions in the case will be heard Dec. 16.

Hachler said he expected the February trial to last up to six weeks.

Prock was arrested in Wryn’s car Dec. 5, 2001. Wryn’s body was found earlier that day after a bank called police about someone trying to change the pin number on Wryn’s debit card.

Cheri Prock, the suspect’s mother, initially said her son confessed to the killing, and said her son’s motive was retaliation against Wryn, who used to live next door to Tyson Prock.

But Monday, Cheri Prock insisted her son didn’t commit the murder – another man did, she said, naming that individual.

Wryn had no criminal history, and his family has adamantly denied that he committed sexual abuse.

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Reporter Kyle Odegard can be reached at 1-800-522-0255 (ext. 1-232) or by e-mail at kodegard@eastoregonian.com.