BROOKSVILLE — A trial date will not be set in the James Gordley murder case until sometime next year.
Gordley was found dead in his Augusta home on Dec 14, 2018. That night, a witness claimed to have seen three witnesses in a white van near Gordley’s home around the time of the murder, according to Kentucky State Police Detective Isaac Waters.
The investigation led Waters to three suspects, that were arrested and charged with murder. Those suspects include Arica Woodruff, Dagoberto Ramos and Nelson Ramos.
On Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Stockton Wood asked Commonwealth’s Attorney Kelly Clarke where the state labs were on the evidence that was sent off to be tested.
In December, evidence was sent to be tested, but nothing has been returned, according to Clarke.
Clarke said the blood evidence in the case was assigned to a lab technician that same month.
“The DNA/blood evidence will be back in March or April, if we’re lucky,” Clarke told Wood. “we are not in a position to negotiate settlement without those results.”
Wood said he did not see any necessity in setting a trial until the results of lab testing is returned.
“I don’t see a reason for setting a trial date and then possibly have it postponed,” he said. “We can set another hearing for around March and if the results come in before then, we can look at where we are.”
Wood set the next pretrial hearing for March 12, 2020.
According to Wood, he hopes to set a trial date then.
Dagoberto Ramos and Woodruff are being held in the Mason County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond. Nelson Ramos is also in the Mason County Detention Center on a $100,000 cash bond.
Woodruff’s attorney is Eva Hager, Dagoberto Ramos’ attorney is Chris Kippley and Nelson Ramos’ attorneys are Mark Hardy and Leslie Brown. All are public defenders.
