Trial date set in garage murder case

By Michelle Chance

A trial date was set Monday for the Tempe woman charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Michael Agerter inside the garage of his Maricopa rental home in December.

Trial will begin for Kathryn Sinkevitch on May 8, 2018, at the Pinal County Superior Court House in Florence.

Public Defender James Mannato announced in court that, in agreeance with the prosecution, the trial will last four weeks with a 12-person jury. Sinkevitch will not be facing the death penalty.

Prosecutor Sean Coll said the defense “has been fine working on the trial date” with him, but could not comment further on the case. Mannato said there are “still many things to be done” in anticipation of the trial a little more than a year away.

In March, Judge Kevin White granted the public defender’s extension request to challenge the proceedings of the grand jury that indicted Sinkevitch with first-degree murder. However, after further review, Mannato said it was a fair presentation and there were no grounds to challenge.

He said of his client that Sinkevitch has pleaded not-guilty and should be presumed innocent throughout the process.

“I hope people take heed to that,” Monnanto said.

Sinkevitch shared a young child with Agerter, who was seeking custody of the then 1-month-old at the time of the murder.

A status review hearing is set for June 19 at 9 a.m.