A new trial date has been scheduled for a co-defendant charged in the alleged 2013 murder of Jimmy Sidwell, Jr.

During a pretrial conference on June 6 in Clinton Circuit Court, Judge David L. Williams scheduled a trial date of November 16-20 for Andrea Byler, who is charged with murder, robbery in the first degree and two counts of tampering with physical evidence in connection with the crime.

In the meantime, sentencing that had been scheduled for Byler’s co-defendant in the case, Michael E. Thompson, was continued “generally” until Byler has been tried.

On January 8 of this year, Thompson entered a plea agreement with the Commonwealth and agreed to accept a 35-year sentence for his part in the murder. According to court records, the defendant “agrees to cooperate and testify truthfully against co-defendant Andrea Byler,” as part of the plea agreement. It also stipulates that all other charges, at that time, would be dismissed if Thompson complies with the offer.

Thompson was also charged with first degree robbery and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

The court had originally scheduled a trial date for both defendants for October 2014 and a sentencing of May 14 of this year for Thompson. However, following the plea, a trial date for Byler was re-scheduled for April 27 but that was continued to June 4 and has now, again, been re-scheduled for this fall.

Both defendants were arrested on October 27, 2013 by Kentucky State Police and charged in connection with Sidwell’s murder.

The victim’s body was found the prior day underneath an unoccupied mobile home on Cody Lane in south Albany.

Albany Police Department officers were the first dispatched to the scene where the 911 caller was putting on roof on a nearby building and saw the body under the trailer.

Albany Police Chief Ernest Guffey said at the time of the incident it appeared the body may have been deceased a day or two prior to its discovery, and the location probably wasn’t the actual crime scene as it appeared the body had been moved and placed there.

Autopsy results indicate Sidwell died from multiple stab wounds to the upper torso.

Thompson is being represented by Public Advocate Brad Shuffett while Byler is being represented by Monticello attorney Thomas Carroll. The case is being prosecuted by Commonwealth’s Attorney Jesse Stockton.