PIKEVILLE, KY (WMDJ) — Prosecutors in the Amber Spradlin murder case have filed responses opposing a bond reduction and supporting a delay in the upcoming trial to allow additional forensic testing.

Attorneys for M.K. McKinney, who is charged with Spradlin’s 2023 murder, filed motions last week objecting to the Commonwealth’s request for a continuance and asking to lower his $5 million bond.

Commonwealth Attorney Brent Turner says the delay is necessary to complete testing of blood and DNA evidence collected from multiple locations within the McKinney home. The Commonwealth’s response noted the large amount of evidence due to the severity of the crime.

Officials said laboratory staff are expediting the process by testing more than the standard number of samples at once. However, two major submissions containing DNA, blood, and hair evidence are still pending.

McKinney is scheduled to appear before Judge Eddy Coleman on Thursday for a pretrial conference, where the motions will be reviewed.