A preliminary hearing was continued Tuesday morning until next week in Trigg District Court for the Gracey man charged with the September 14 choking death of 81-year old Thelma “Ileen” Barnett on Will Jackson Road.
Public defender Mary Rohrer asked Judge Jamus Redd for the continuance, as a new attorney will have to be appointed for 42-year old Jonathan McCoy of Gracey due to a conflict in the local public advocacy office.
Judge Redd rescheduled the preliminary hearing for December 22 at 10 a.m.
McCoy is charged with murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, arson and abuse of a corpse.
An arrest warrant from Kentucky State Police says McCoy tied Barnett’s arms behind her back, strangled her to death and then set her home on fire with her body still inside.