The murder trial for a Bothell resident that was set to begin today was postponed until at least December.

Lawyers for Alan Justin Smith asked a judge to push back his murder trial during an Omnibus hearing on Thursday in Snohomish County Superior Court. The scheduled start to the trial was canceled and another Omnibus hearing was scheduled for Dec. 6, with a new trail date of Dec. 20.

“The defense was fairly candid that they won’t be ready until sometime next year,” said Senior Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor Craig Matheson.

Smith, who plead not guilty in July, is accused of killing his estranged wife last February and sits in the Snohomish County Jail on $1 million bail.

“That trial date (Dec. 20) is not going to occur,” said Matheson. “It was just a placeholder so that we can actually pick a meaningful date next time around.”

Alan Smith is accused of murdering Susann Smith, who was found on Feb. 12, face down, beaten and drown to death in the bathtub of her Bothell home while her two kids were away, according to court documents. She had defensive wounds on her hands and arms, a fractured skull, and 19 separate blunt force strikes, according to court documents. She had to be identified by her dental records.

Alan Smith moved back into the home with his girlfriend Love Thai in April and had hopes of regaining custody of his two young children, who had been taken by Washington State Child Protective Services. Thai is now pregnant with Smith’s child.

Police were called to the home for various incidents during May, including a report of Alan Smith and Thai having sex in the front yard and for a domestic disturbance.

Smith was eventually arrested in June for the murder. His sister, who has power of attorney, has subsequently put the home up for sale. The property has had multiple bids, according to the family’s real estate agent.