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Clay Waller Trial To Stay In Cape Girardeau County

Laura Simon
/
Southeast Missourian

Clay Waller will go to trial in Cape Girardeau County, but the jury will be imported from elsewhere in the state.

Waller was in Cape Girardeau County Court on Monday, and judge Ben Lewis set the dates for Waller’s murder trial for September 9 through September 20, 2013.

Waller’s defense attorney requested the trial be moved to another county due to intense local media attention.

Instead, the jury will come from Cole County in central Missouri. Jury selection will be held there on September the fifth and sixth.

Waller is accused of murdering his estranged wife, Jacque Waller.

Laura Helbig is a spokeswoman for Jacque Waller’s family. She says the family welcomes an outside jury.

“That they are bringing in a jury in from Cole County is good,” Helbig said. “It’s just one less thing that we have to worry about that could be brought up on appeals later that it was a tainted jury pool from the start.”

Jacque Waller’s body has never been found. Helbig says their priority is to bring Jacque home.

“Virtually every weekend, there is a group of people out searching areas of interest whether its from a lead from someone in the community or law enforcement. Those people are unstoppable and thank God they’re with us.”