BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The trial for a man accused of killing his wife in Louisiana nearly a decade ago has been delayed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Oscar Lozada, 45, was set to stand trial Monday in Baton Rouge on a second-degree murder charge in the slaying of Sylviane Finck Lozada, The Advocate reported. But his attorney and Assistant District Attorney Dana Cummings requested a delay, citing the ongoing pandemic.

Investigators alleged Oscar Lozada killed his wife and disposed of her body after the 51-year-old high school teacher went missing in 2011. Her remains have not been found.

Oscar Lozada and the couple’s then 4-year-old daughter fled to his home country of Venezuela around the time of his wife’s disappearance, authorities said. He was arrested in 2018 after authorities located him in Mexico.

Oscar Lozada turned down an offer in March to plead guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of justice in exchange for a 50-year sentence, The Advocate reported at the time. The deal would have prevented the case from going to trial.

A judge set a status hearing for Aug. 13, but a new date for the trial was not immediately scheduled.

By: Associated Press