Montgomery County murder suspect seeks new judge and trial date

MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

One of the suspects in the killing of a mid-Missouri snake breeder wants his trial date moved up and a new judge to preside over it.

An attorney for Michael Humphrey made the requests Wednesday afternoon in Montgomery County court. Attorney T.J. Hunsaker told Judge Jason Lamb that Humphrey was "re-invoking" an earlier request he made for a speedy trial.

Humphrey's case was moved from Montgomery County to Audrain County last year. Law enforcement believes he is an accomplice in the shooting death of Ben Renick in June 2017. Renick was shot several times at his snake farm on Route RB near New Florence. A man told the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2020 that Renick's wife, Lynlee Renick, confided in him that she and Humphrey killed Ben out of fear Ben would take their children with him and frame Lynlee as a drug addict. Both are charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Humphrey had taken issues over the start of his trial last year to the Supreme Court of Missouri, which declined to take his case. Trials for Humphrey have been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions courts have placed on jury trials.

Lamb mentioned at Wednesday's hearing that Humphrey had written a letter concerning his trial date, currently scheduled to start Oct. 14. Hunsaker told the judge that Humphrey wanted to move his trial date up, despite Hunsaker's concern that it would make him or other attorneys in the Rosenblum, Schwartz & Fry law office unavailable.

Assistant attorney general Kevin Zoellner said the state would be "ready and available" for whichever date the trial started.

Lamb said he would have to consult with Cape Girardeau County on jury selection should he decide to change the trial date. Both sides plan to pick a jury from southeast Missouri to consider the case.

Attorneys in the Lynlee Renick case have said they expect an August trial for her. Lynlee Renick's case will be held in Boone County with a Clay County jury hearing the case.

Hunsaker also said Humphrey wants a new judge to preside over the case. Hunsaker said the recent appointment of former Montgomery County prosecutor Nathan Carroz to associate circuit judge may create a conflict for Lamb. Both now serve as judges in the state's 12th Judicial Circuit, which covers Audrain and Montgomery counties.

Lamb said Hunsaker could file a formal request for a change of judge. No such motion had been made as of Wednesday night.