The man accused of a double-homicide in neighboring Pickett County, Tennessee in late July will apparently have his case heard by a Pickett County Grand Jury.

Joshua Pyles, 34, of Monticello, appeared in court in Overton County last Wednesday, October 8 for a preliminary hearing.

According to circuit court officials from that county, Pyles waived his rights for formal arraignment with the case being waived to the Pickett County Grand Jury. That jury isn’t expected to hear evidence presented until it convene on January 5, 2015 and, if an indictment is returned, it will not be announced until January 7.

According to recent published reports, Pyles, through his attorney Laura Sebers, was apparently seeking a change of venue to have proceedings moved outside of Pickett County.

In a motion filed by Sebers, she noted the change of venue was needed “due to undue excitement against the defendant in Pickett County and due to the unfair and inflammatory publicity and the general hostilities toward the defendant from local authorities,” among other factors.

Sebers indicated in the motion she felt her client could not receive a fair trial in Pickett County “due to the publicity, hostilities toward the defendant and generalized fear engineered by the public.”

However, the change of venue motion was not taken up at last week’s hearing in Overton County, according to court officials.

The defendant is charged in relation to the deaths of Danny Dowdy, 58, and his son, Cody Dowdy, 22, who were found dead at their family business, the Sugar Shack, on the Kentucky-Tennessee border at Static. Family members discovered the victims early Thursday morning, July 31 and Pyles was arrested the following day, August 1, by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Pyles, who entered a not guilty plea to the charges during arraignment in Pickett County on August 5, remains lodged in the Overton County Detention Center in Livingston without bond.