PLATTSBURGH -- Glen D. Race is a step closer to facing murder prosecution here.

Clinton County Surrogate Court Judge Kevin Ryan signed an order Wednesday directing U.S. marshals in Texas to turn over the 26-year-old Nova Scotia man to New York State Police for transport to the North Country.

"That has been forwarded to Texas," said Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie.

The paperwork gives the date June 8 as the latest Race would be arraigned in court in Mooers, the town where Darcy Manor, 35, was murdered on May 10.

Race, who is also accused of killing two men in Nova Scotia, is charged with second-degree murder in Manor's death.

He could, as well, face a first-degree murder charge along with others for the theft of the gun -- that police believe killed the Mooers father of two small sons -- his pickup truck and a credit card.

June 8 is simply a deadline for the man's arrival in Clinton County as requested by officials in Texas, not a definite arraignment date, Wylie emphasized.

"We don't have him secured; we don't have him in custody," the district attorney said.

Still up in the air is what will happen with the federal charge of assaulting a Border Patrol agent for which Race is being held without bail in a Brownsville, Texas, jail.

"They're trying to keep it open until our prosecution is concluded," Wylie said.

The request from Clinton County had been for that charge to be dismissed in order to facilitate Race's transport here, but keeping it alive would leave the option for further prosecution should the trial here fail to convict the man.

"Certainly if he is convicted and receives a life sentence ... I don't foresee them bringing him back to Texas," Wylie said.

smoore@pressrepublican.com