Trial reset in strangulation homicide case

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles man accused of strangling a developmentally disabled woman to death — then hiding her body in the woods near the Hood Canal Bridge — has had his trial rescheduled.

Kevin A. Bradfield, 22, will be tried starting May 21 for second-degree murder in last October’s death of 27-year-old Jennifer Pimentel.

Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams on Monday signed the order continuing the trial after defense attorney Loren Oakley advised he had more discovery evidence to analyze from the Department of Social and Health Services. The defense had previously hired a psychologist to evaluate Bradfield.

The original trial date of Dec. 5 was pushed to Monday late last year to allow more time for DNA tests.

Williams on Monday scheduled a pretrial hearing for May 9.

Port Angeles police alleged that Bradfield strangled Pimentel, who had been staying with his girlfriend, Kendell Huether, and disposed of her body in a heavily wooded area in East Jefferson County.

Huether, 25, is charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance and two counts of witness tampering for allegedly helping Bradfield hide the body, then trying to cover up the murder.

Huether was released from jail to live with her brother under a curfew and an electronic home monitoring device in January. Her trial is set for April 16.

Bradfield is being held in the Clallam County jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

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