An anticipated plea by murder suspect Patrick Frazee won't happen for another month and a half, as a judge has granted a request by the defense to continue Friday's arraignment.

Frazee was expected Friday to enter either a guilty or not guilty plea in the murder of Kelsey Berreth, which would have determined the next step in the case. An attorney for Frazee requested the arraignment be postponed due to the fact that evidence is still being tested. The prosecution responded that they had no objection to postponing the arraignment, acknowledging that there were still a "number of items" being forensically tested. The judge then set a new arraignment date for May 24.

If Frazee pleads not guilty at that time, the case will move to trial.

Frazee is accused

in cold blood late last year. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder under different theories, three counts of solicitation of murder and tampering with a body. Officials believe he blindfolded Berreth under the guise of guessing the scent of some candles, then beat her with a baseball bat.

If the case moves to trial, the trial date must be set within six months of the arraignment, 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May said after court Friday. That would likely place the trial in the fall.

May said the DA's office would have nine weeks after the May 24 arraignment to decide whether Frazee would face the death penalty.

"We have not arrived at the arraignment yet so it’s a decision that we haven’t arrived at yet," he said.

Friday's court appearance was the second in as many days for Frazee, who was in court Thursday for another custody hearing over his young daughter with Berreth. A judge decided the child would remain in the custody of Berreth's parents. One of Frazee's family members has been fighting for custody of the little girl.

As the murder case moves through the court system, crews are continuing the search for Berreth's remains. Officials believe Frazee beat Berreth to death with a baseball bat last November, and he stands charged with murder. But Berreth's remains have not been found.

investigators have been combing through a landfill south of Fountain. As of Thursday, the Woodland Park Police Department was reporting they were about 35 to 40 percent of the way through the search area. The "cell" they are looking at in the landfill is about 250x125x25 feet.

Law enforcement say based on information gleaned during the investigation, they believe Frazee burned Berreth's body and dumped the remains in the landfill.

The last time Berreth was seen alive was on surveillance video at a Woodland Park Safeway early in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day. She was first reported as a missing person, and throughout that initial search, Frazee maintained his innocence. He has not made any recent statements. Frazee has claimed in court that Berreth abused their daughter.

UPDATE: The judge granted a continuance for the arraignment; the new date is May 24. ______________________________ WATCH: Patrick Frazee is back in court, where he could enter a plea and a trial date could be set. Posted by KKTV 11 News on Friday, 5 April 2019