The man who turned himself in after allegedly kidnapping and killing his wife intends to plead not guilty next month, his attorney said in court on Monday.

Stephen Chan, 79, faces three charges for allegedly killing his wife, 54-year-old Jian Chan, and then dumping her body before turning himself in to law enforcement.

Chan appeared in court on Monday for an arraignment hearing after Judge Linda Billings-Vela in January opted to bind over all three charges Chan faces for trial at the conclusion of his preliminary hearing.

At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors alleged Chan shot his wife in the head twice and left her in a bush at a pond located near Walsen Road, on the far north end of El Paso County, east of Interstate 25. At Chan’s preliminary hearing the prosecution played two interviews to the court where Chan, mostly through a translator, can be heard confessing to the crimes to law enforcement.

On Monday, Chan’s attorney requested for a continuance of the arraignment, but only to allow for more time for speedy trial considerations, as Chan intends to plead not guilty. Defendants have a right to a “speedy trial” to take place within six months of entering a not-guilty plea.

Chan’s attorney informed the court that they were hoping to set for trial in August, but that the date would fall less than a month before Chan’s speedy trial limit, something prosecutors were not comfortable with. To accommodate the August trial date, Chan is expected to plead not guilty at his next court date in April.

Chan remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on a $2 million bond.