A preliminary hearing for Kenneth Botham Jr., charged with four counts of premeditated murder, has been continued until Jan. 13 at 8:30 a.m.
Mesa County Judge Harold Moss, Dist. Atty. Terrance Farina and Public Defender Bob Emerson agreed on the change of date this morning. The decision followed a written motion filed by the public defender, asking for the continuance.
Emerson was appointed to the case earlier this month, and his motion for continuance was because of the lack of time to prepare. The preliminary hearing had originally been scheduled for Friday.
Botham is charged in the deaths of his wife, Patricia, and of Mrs. Linda Miracle and her two sons, Troy and Chad. The four apparently died last Aug. 23, and their bodies were found in the Gunnison River in late September.