The trials for Chapman and a co-defendant, 26-year old Michael David Schenk, of Denison, had been scheduled to take place two weeks apart in Crawford County. Chapman and Schenk are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson in connection with the March 10 deaths of 80-year old Marvin Huelsing, of Maple River and 81-year old Alice Huisenga, of Arcadia. Their bodies were found on Huelsing’s property southeast of Deloit.

Schenk’s trial is set to begin Jan. 20. Chapman’s trial had previously been set for Feb. 3rd. Public defender Jennifer N. Solberg had argued in a motion filed Thursday that Chapman could not receive a fair trial after extensive news coverage of Schenk’s trial.

A third defendant in the case, Erika Marlys Dains, 37, of Denison, pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree burglary and being an accessory after the fact, an aggravated misdemeanor.

According to a plea agreement, Dains will testify as a prosecution witness at the trials of Schenk and Chapman, if she is called as a witness.