Joel Courtney, the man accused of murdering Brooke Wilberger nearly four years ago, will be extradited to Oregon and housed in Benton County Jail within the next 30 days, said Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson.

Courtney appeared during a status conference in New Mexico today, and his defense attorney did not challenge the extradition through a petition.

“There’s nothing to indicate that was by oversight,” Haroldson said. “The usual period of time to get (a petition) filed under New Mexico law is 10 days. They had six weeks.”

Courtney was being held in a state prison in New Mexico after pleading guilty in September 2007 to kid-napping and raping a University of New Mexico student. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison for those crimes.

In Oregon, he faces multiple counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping and rape related to the Wilberger case, as well as indictments for attempted murder and attempted kidnapping regarding two other women.

The attempted abductions allegedly occurred on May 24, 2004, the same day Wilberger disappeared.

Wilberger, then a 19-year-old student at Brigham Young University, was doing maintenance work for her sister outside the Oak Park Apartments on Southwest 26th Street in Corvallis when she vanished. She has never been found and is presumed dead. A body isn’t necessary to prosecute someone for murder in Oregon.

Haroldson declined to give a firm timeline for Courtney’s move, saying he didn’t want to create any risks or liabilities.

“We will be in the process of arranging to bring him to Oregon in the most secure and expedient manner,” Haroldson said.

“I anticipate that just as soon as he gets here he will be scheduled for his court appearance,” Haroldson added.

The district attorney has said he will seek the death penalty for Courtney.

Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.