BEATRICE – A district judge has ruled in favor of compelling  the testimony of a man held in an Arkansas jail regarding the first degree murder trial against Joshua Keadle.

Keadle is accused of the murder of Peru State College freshman Tyler Thomas, who was last seen by friends during the early morning hours of Dec. 3, 2010.

Friends and family have not had contact with Thomas, but, since her body has never been found, the issue of whether a crime has been committed will be an issue at trial.

The defense says a man who is currently in the Miller County jail in Arkansas talked to Thomas on telephone two weeks before she disappeared.

The man is expected to testify that Thomas discussed a medical condition and her plan to move to another state at the end of the fall semester in 2010.

The court order indicates that if the man comes to Nebraska under summons to testify, he will not be subject to arrest in connection with prior, unrelated matters.