An October trial date will be set for Richard Terrel of Troy in the 2015 murder of William York Sr. of Tipp City.

Judge Christopher Gee of Miami County Common Pleas Court granted a motion to continue the trial July 8. Prosecutors sought the delay in a July 26 trial date because three expert witnesses would be unavailable to testify that week.

Terrel, 36, is charged with murder, felonious assault, receiving stolen property, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of York, 88. His remains were found June 3, 2015, in a Kentucky creek.

Terrel has pleaded not guilty.

York’s granddaughter, Hope Earnshaw-York, 25, of Tipp City, pleaded no contest and was found guilty in April of gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death. She also pleaded to receiving stolen property and drug possession.

During the July 8 hearing, Kendell said those unable to testify the week of July 26 included a FBI special agent who specializes in searching and tracking cell phones, a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) agent who processed the main crime scene and a BCI chemist who did DNA work in the case. Kendell noted there were multiple crime scenes processed in the investigation.

Two of the witnesses were testifying in other cases that week while the third had vacation scheduled, Kendell said.

Defense lawyer Jay Adams said he did not oppose the motion to continue.