[B]ENNINGTON — The murder trial of Timothy Butler in the stabbing death of an 81-year-old Arlington woman is scheduled for August.
Judge David Howard approved a trial schedule Friday after a status conference in the case in Bennington Superior Court.
He is accused of killing Helen Jones, whose body was found Jan. 4 in the Buck Hill Road home where she lived alone.
Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage said Friday that the prosecution had received an updated order regarding the discovery process. “Some of the dates, I just don’t know that I agree with, but I leave that to your honor,” she told the judge, referring to dates by which pretrial motions are due and witness depositions must be completed.
“I don’t want to appear to be difficult for what the defense needs for dates,” she said, “but I feel like this has been pending, and that these dates are kind of far out.”
Marthage noted that the proposed schedule allowed until June 30 for completion of depositions and until mid-July for the filing of motions to dismiss charges or suppress aspects of the state’s case.
The order the judge filed with the court Monday showed revisions to earlier dates in June for depositions and in July for the filing of pretrial motions.
Defense attorney Brian Marsicovetere, with the defender general’s office, participated in the status conference by telephone. Butler did not appear.
“I think from our experience dealing with homicide cases, it is a very reasonable timeline for trying to get the case ready for trial,” Marsicovetere said. “Basically, six months from now to complete depositions of all the witnesses, and also factoring in potential forensic issues, depending on what happens with the DNA testing — I don’t know, it seems like a reasonable time frame.”
The order signed Monday specifies March 1 for the disclosure of defense information and submission of a list of defense witnesses; April 30 for the state to disclose case information; and June 10 for the completion of depositions.
According to the schedule, the case should be ready for trial by August. The trial is estimated to last eight days.
The charges against Butler carry a maximum prison term of 35 years to life. He was arrested March 8 and denied the charges during his arraignment two days later.
Jones’ death touched off an intense investigation, with detectives from the major-crime unit of the Vermont State Police and other VSP personnel from around the state participating. As many as 20 officers were involved at any given time, police said.
Maj. Glenn Hall, commander of the state police criminal division, said after Butler’s arraignment that police interviewed the Sunderland man, who had previously done work for Jones at her home, on Jan. 6. Butler later was repeatedly asked to submit a DNA sample, Hall said.
The investigators focused more on Butler after receiving an anonymous tip Feb. 25 that he told someone he had killed an elderly woman and was afraid that “DNA would prove him guilty.”
Hall said in March that detectives “worked tirelessly on this case,” which became the “No. 1 priority of the Vermont State Police.”
The case “was an example of how difficult this type of investigation can be,” Hall added, referring to a lack of witnesses and the delay before Jones’ death was discovered.
Attorneys in the case said in late March that a large amount of investigative material was being compiled digitally, resulting in some delays in the discovery process.
Police said Jones was found on her back in the ground level hallway of her home with multiple stab wounds to her torso and right hand. They said an intruder apparently got into the home through a broken window in the main door.
