A Madison County judge today declared a mistrial in the capital murder trial of a man accused of stabbing a woman to death in 2018.

The trial of X’Zavier Kamontae Scott, 25, began yesterday. Scott was accused of killing Tiffany Kelly, a 29-year-old wife and mother, and dumping her body on a south Huntsville road on the night of Sept. 22, 2018.

According to WHNT, Scott’s attorney made a motion for a mistrial after a witness under questioning mentioned abusive behavior by Scott toward Domanek Jackson, the woman he was arrested with back in 2018. After a moment, the judge decided in favor of a mistrial.

According to court documents, Circuit Judge Donna Pate this afternoon issued an order barring all parties from commenting on the case in the media, unless about future hearings to be scheduled.

According to testimony at an earlier hearing, Huntsville police investigators believe Scott and Jackson killed Kelly to steal her car and travel back to south Alabama. Scott and Jackson were from Clarke County, about 250 miles from Huntsville.

According to an investigator, the two encountered Tiffany Kelly outside the Dollar General store on U.S. 231 across from Farley Elementary.

Jackson told lawmen that she asked Kelly to give them a ride across town, according to testimony. Kelly apparently agreed, but she wanted to stop by her home in a mobile home park off Green Cove Road.

As Kelly drove east on Green Cove, she was stabbed in the neck about five or six times. Jackson and Scott were captured a few days later in Clarke County.

According to WAAY, Jackson’s trial ended last year with her being found guilty of robbery after Scott testified that he stabbed Kelly.