TEMPE, AZ — Christopher Hoopes, the Tempe man charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 shooting death of his wife, will not face trial until this summer at the earliest.

Tempe police say Hoopes shot and killed his 25-year-old wife, Colleen, in the middle of the night. She was a dancer with Ballet Arizona.

Christopher Hoopes has pleaded not guilty. His trial has been moved back multiple times, most recently because he switched defense attorneys, and his new lawyer has been involved in another lengthy trial.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Monica Edelstein addressed the delays during a recent court hearing.

“It sounds like, and I just want to make sure the court is tracking based on my notes, there was still work being done with regard to experts, gathering information, disclosing information,” Edelstein said.

Both the prosecution and defense agreed to the extended time. His next court hearing is set for June 15.

ABC15 has covered this case extensively. As ABC15 previously reported, court records indicate his defense team hired pharmacy experts for a potentially unusual defense.

“At the time of the incident, Mr. Hoopes was legally prescribed medications. The use of these medications and the effects of these medications are directly relevant to Mr. Hoopes’ defense,” according to a filed motion by his attorneys previously.

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Hoopes received permission to hire two expert witnesses: a pharmacologist and a forensic psychiatrist. The pharmacologist is needed to “educate the jury on the medication, uses, and side effects of the legally prescribed medications,” according to a court filing. The forensic psychiatrist is needed to assist attorneys and “educate the jury on Mr. Hoopes’ mental state, the effects of various medications, and how the relevant medications impact intent.”

James Charnesky, a Tucson defense lawyer who is not involved in the case, told ABC15 in a previous interview that Hoopes may be considering a defense called “involuntary intoxication.”

This is where a defendant claims their legally prescribed medicine caused unintended, even dangerous, side effects that affected their perception.

Court records don’t name the specific medications Hoopes was prescribed. He told police he took medications for blood pressure and asthma, according to a police report, but it’s unclear which ones.

Body camera video from Tempe police that night shows Hoopes telling officers who respond to his home that he was asleep for three hours. He says he woke up startled and grabbed his gun out of his nightstand.

“It was like a dream. I don’t know. Like, I just woke up in a panic,” he tells the officer.

He tells the officer he grabbed the gun, stood up, and shot.

“I fired at my wife.”

“Then I realized it was her.”

The police officer asks Hoopes how many times he shot.

“I think three times,” he says.

Hoopes goes on to say:

“At first, when I shot her, I didn’t, I thought it was someone else.”

The officer questions him further.

“Were you fully aware of what was going on? Did you knowingly do what you were doing?

Hoopes responds, “I didn’t knowingly shoot my wife.”

Email ABC15 Investigative Reporter Anne Ryman at: anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X and Facebook.