YOUNGSTOWN — The Robert L. Moore murder retrial, which was supposed to begin Monday morning, has been postponed again — this time because a key state witness was arrested over the weekend and not available to testify.

Moore, 53, of Alliance, is charged with murder in the 2009 disappearance and presumed murder of Glenna J. White, 16, from a Smith Township home. Moore was the last person known to have been with her.

The parties appeared Monday before Judge Maureen Sweeney and talked about the arrest in open court. Defense attorney Lou DeFabio said it is necessary for him to obtain information about the arrest so that it possibly can be used during the Moore trial for “impeachment” purposes, meaning undermining the witness’s credibility.

The witness was due for an arraignment hearing Monday in Alliance Municipal Court. DeFabio said he believes the witness is in the Stark County jail.

DeFabio said he believes the witness is one of the most important witnesses the prosecution expected to testify. Mike Yacovone, county assistant prosecutor, said the parties agreed that the first available date to hold the trial is Oct. 2.

Yacovone said he also is willing to forego a jury view that was planned for the first day of the trial in order to get testimony started a day earlier. A jury view involves taking the jurors to the scene of the events to be discussed in a trial to better understand the physical layout.

DeFabio said the defense will be waiting for prosecutors to provide whatever information is available on the incident.

Sweeney said there is no choice but to postpone the trial because of the arrest.

When asked about other witnesses, Yacovone said if any other witnesses indicate they will have trouble appearing for the new trial date, depositions will be taken of their testimony so that it can be provided to jurors in that way.

The trial also was postponed for two weeks earlier this month over an issue that arose over a witness who took a polygraph test in 2014 regarding the girl’s disappearance. The parties later agreed on the testimony that would be allowed regarding the test.

Moore was tried by a jury before Sweeney in June 2022 that found Moore not guilty of aggravated murder. But the jury could not reach a verdict on the charge of murder, so prosecutors chose to try Moore again.