33-year-old Zachary Gardner, of Winfield, has rejected a plea offer from prosecutors and is heading toward a trial on a second degree murder charge in the death of his wife, last year.
Jury selection is set for Feb. 5 in Winfield. Cowley County Dist. Court has summoned 83 potential jurors and so far just one has been excused.
Gardner made an appearance for a pretrial hearing on Friday afternoon. He confirmed to Judge Nick St. Peter that he had said no to a plea offer.
A final pretrial hearing has been set for Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. At that time, St. Peter will resolve some final issues as to what evidence will and won’t be allowed to be presented by prosecutors at trial.
Earlier this year, Gardner entered a not guilty plea to a count of second-degree murder brought in connection with the January 2017 death of his wife, 33-year-old Melissa Gardner.
She was found dead in the couple’s home in Winfield.
At the time, Winfield police said Melissa Gardner had been shot and killed.
Zachary Gardner has remained in the county jail since police arrived at the family’s home to find Melissa Gardner dead. Zachary Gardner was also found in the home the day of Melissa Gardner’s death.
Zachary Gardner is in the Cowley County Jail with bond set at $500,000.
