TIFTON, Ga. — The trial of Timmie Leroy Thompson for the 2014 murder of his wife Peggy Michelle Thompson began Dec. 6 at the Tift County courthouse. 

Thompson was arrested and charged in Feb. 2015 in relation to the death of his wife at their home in Chula in Oct. 2014 after an autopsy ruled her death a homicide.

Peggy Thompson was found deceased in the couple’s bedroom with signs of having been beaten about the head with an unknown object and strangled.

The charges against Thompson are malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault. Thompson pled not guilty to all charges.

The state has a total of 15 witnesses, including family members of the Thompsons, sheriff’s deputies and experts from the state crime lab. Thirteen of those witnesses were called Dec. 6 with two witnesses expected to testify Dec. 7.

The defense called no witnesses.

Two of the state’s witnesses will testify in the morning of Dec. 7. A verdict is expected to be handed down on the same day.