Douglas County District Judge Peggy Kittel is considering sealing the probable cause affidavit in the arrest of a man charged with the September homicide of his home-care client.

Ronald Eugene Heskett, 48, of Eudora, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 12 suspicious death of Vance “Van” Moulton, 65, of Lawrence.

At first, investigators were unsure whether the death was a suicide or a homicide, Lawrence police spokesman Sgt. Trent McKinley said last month, but after further investigation and interviews, Heskett was arrested. Heskett was a home-care attendant to Moulton, who had cerebral palsy, Cheryl Wright Kunard, assistant to the Douglas County District Attorney, said in November.

On Nov. 13, the Journal-World requested the probable cause affidavit that led to Heskett’s arrest. Heskett’s defense attorney, Michael Warner, filed a motion to seal the affidavit from public disclosure on Nov. 17, according to court documents.

At a hearing Friday, Warner argued to seal the affidavit because, if released, the information would be “prejudicial, especially in a media and Internet age.” Prosecutor David Melton did not argue for sealing the affidavit, but instead proposed that the affidavit be redacted and released.

Under the Kansas law enacted July 1, the court must decide to redact, release or seal probable cause affidavits within 10 days of a request for disclosure. As of Friday, it has been about 19 business days since the request was made.

Kittel said Friday that she would make a decision next week.