Houser Concealment Trial Continued to March

The concealment of a homicidal death trial of Zebediah Houser has been continued to March.

The 25-year-old Houser is alleged to have helped Christine Burr and Kristy Mathis dispose of the body of Joseph Delaney after he was allegedly stabbed to death by Burr.  The body was reportedly disposed of in a rural area of Jasper County sometime between July 2011 and March 2012.

There was a moment during Houser's pre-trial hearing Monday morning when Judge James Eder tried to interpret a handwritten note from Houser as a request for different counsel, but the judge was assured that any differences between Houser and Conflicts Public Defender Richard Runde have been resolved and Runde will remain as Houser's attorney.

Assistant State's Attorney Scott Ealy asked that Houser's trial be moved back one month and there was no objection from the defense.  Eder set the trial for March 10, with a pre-trial hearing on February 19.