A trial date has been set in the case of a man who is accused of murdering his estranged wife.
Gary Chavez appeared for a status hearing in Starke Circuit Court on Monday afternoon with his attorneys, Leslie Baker and Dave Welter. Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff indicated that there were some discovery issues with several pieces of evidence. Dave Welter told the judge that some medical reports are also needed and Chavez may require another surgery.
After a brief recess with counsel in the judge’s chambers, Judge Kim Hall said a status hearing will be set in January to update the discovery process and see where the case stands. Two weeks were set aside for the trial which will begin Monday, April 13 at 9 a.m. with a 12-member jury selection.
Chavez is charged with murder, kidnapping and carjacking in an incident on June 6. He is accused of beating his estranged wife, Kimberly Chavez, to death at his home in Knox. He then drove to Mark Bailey’s Discount Center in North Judson and kidnapped an employee there at gunpoint. Chavez then carjacked a vehicle from a home in English Lake. That vehicle became disabled in Porter County where police say he carjacked another vehicle and led police on a pursuit. The pursuit ended where Chavez shot himself in the face. Chavez was hospitalized and underwent several surgeries over the course of two months before being transported to Starke County to face his alleged actions in this incident.
