A Chatham man facing a first-degree murder charge will return to court later in the month following a judicial pre-trial that will take place next week.
Stephen William Thompson, 42, made a brief appearance via video in a Chatham courtroom Monday.
The court heard Thompson’s lawyer, Ken Marley, has arranged for a judicial pre-trial to be held on Dec. 13.
A request was granted for Thompson’s matter to return to court Dec. 23 to confirm dates for a preliminary hearing following the pre-trial.
Thompson has been remanded in custody at the South West Detention Center in Windsor.
There is a ban in place that prohibits the publication of any evidence discussed during this phase of the court process.
According to previously published reports, a 44-year-old woman was found dead on July 4 at a Bedford Street home in Chatham following a well-being check by Chatham-Kent police. She was identified as Cynthia Sitzes in court documents.
Police have not provided any additional details about the cause of death or the relationship between the suspect and the woman.
At the time, neighboring residents said were unaware of the discovery of a body and the subsequent arrest, saying they were surprised to hear that someone had been charged with murder.