The Supreme Court trial for the man accused of murdering teenager Shyanne-Lee Tatnell has been scheduled for April 2027, according to reporting from Pulse Tasmania.
Christopher Mark Jordan, 39, from Scottsdale, appeared in the Launceston Supreme Court on Friday via video link from Risdon Prison. He has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Shyanne-Lee Tatnell in 2023 and has entered a plea of not guilty.
It is important to note that a person charged with an offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The trial had previously been anticipated to begin in September of this year, but the court was informed it will now be heard during the April 2027 sittings, Pulse Tasmania reported. The trial is expected to last for four to five weeks and may hear evidence from approximately 50 witnesses.
According to court reports, the matter was adjourned until August 4, and Mr. Jordan was remanded in custody.
Shyanne-Lee was first reported missing on April 30, 2023, after she was last seen in Launceston. Her disappearance led to one of the largest search operations in northern Tasmanian history, involving around 180 personnel.
In late July 2023, Tasmania Police confirmed that human remains found on a bush block near Nabowla, north-east of Launceston, were those of the missing teenager. Police arrested and charged Mr. Jordan with murder the following day. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
In addition to the murder charge, court reports from 2023 indicated Mr. Jordan also faces charges of failing to comply with ammunition storage requirements, possessing a controlled plant, and possessing a prohibited import, to which he had not entered a plea at that time.