The trial of Wesley Earnest, a former high school administrator charged with killing his estranged wife in Bedford County, has been moved from June to December.

The start of the trial is now scheduled for Dec. 1.

Wes Nance, an assistant county commonwealth's attorney, said defense attorney Joseph Sanzone is waiting on subpoenaed evidence to be received.

"It became obvious it wasn't going to be in his hands by that June date," Nance said Tuesday.

The trial will last at least a week, he said.

A co-worker of Jocelyn Branham Earnest found her dead in her Forest home in December 2007 from a single gunshot wound to the head. Prosecutors in the case argue a suicide note found by her body was fabricated.

At the time of Jocelyn Earnest's death, Wesley Earnest was employed as an assistant principal at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake. He was commuting from a residence at Smith Mountain Lake, one of two residences the Earnests co-owned. The couple were in the midst of a divorce at the time of her death.

The $1.2 million lake home was destroyed by a fire in March. Fire Marshal John Jennings said Tuesday the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

-- Courtney Cutright