A Two-Year Fight to Get an Accused Killer to Trial

April 10, 2010. It's the day 59-year-old Jeanette Romprey was found dead inside her burned down mobile home in Grand Bay. It's also the day her daughter's world came to a standstill.

"My mom was wonderful," said Samantha Alspaugh. "She was the nicest person you'd ever meet. She was always helping people and doing things for less fortunate people."

Nearly two years after her mother's murder, the smoldering debris of the house has been replaced with a memorial garden in her honor. But in all this time, little else has been done in the case. It's still waiting to go to trial.

"My mom's not getting justice, and its not fair, its just not fair," said Alspaugh.

In fact, a court hearing was held Monday, to extend the trial to an even later date.

"This is a capital murder case and the State is seeking the death penalty," said Prosecutor and Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Jo Beth Murphree. "And it is very frustrating, because these cases take a long time."

Derek Horton, who was 18 at the time, was charged for murdering Romprey, then burning down her house. Authorities didn't have to go far to find him; he was already in jail for escaping a psychiatric facility. Now, the defense claims they need more time to examine his mental condition.

Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich admits, two years is a long amount of time for something like this. "But then again, the judge has to take into consideration making sure that the defendant gets a fair trial, and that the defense has an opportunity to thoroughly prepare the case for trial," said Rich.

At the hearing Monday afternoon, Judge Graddick sided with the defense, and granted a continuance. But the new trial date has yet to be determined. If it's pushed back too far, they'll have to wait until the Fall. The courtrooms are closed in July, and budget cuts have forced them to close in August.

Because this case has not yet gone to trial, the family still has no idea how Jeanette Romprey was actually killed. Forensics is keeping that information confidential. The prosecution is asking for the death penalty. Derek Horton is expected to plead 'not guilty' by reason of mental defect or disease.