WACO (September 3, 2009)--The murder trial of former Waco-area pastor Matt Baker, set initially for Sept. 29, has been rescheduled to start on Jan. 12, 2010, according to a spokesman for the 19th State District Court in Waco.

Baker is charged with murder in the death of his wife, Kari Baker in April 2006.

Prosecutors allege Matt Baker gave Kari Baker an overdose of sleeping pills and smothered her with a pillow while she lay in the bedroom of the couple's Hewitt home.

The 19th District Court coordinator said the trial was moved because some of the witnesses expected to be called in the case would not be available for the September court date.

Baker was arrested for his wife's murder in September 2005 where he was living with his parents and his two children.

That charge was dropped in March 2005 because the McLennan County District Attorney failed to indict him within six months.

Baker was re-arrested in March 2009 on a warrant issued after his former girlfriend, Vanessa Bulls testified before a McLennan County Grand Jury.

Baker was released from custody in April, 2009 after posting a $250,000 bond, reduced fro the initial bond setting of $500.000.

Kari Baker's body was found in the bedroom of her home in April 2006 and her death originally was ruled suicide.

But subsequent investigation after an exhumation and autopsy led Justice of the Peace Billy Martin four months later to change his death ruling to homicide.

The autopsy showed traces of sleeping pills and other medications were present in her blood stream and muscle tissues.

The medical examiner also reported there was evidence she had been smothered.