Christopher Hoopes, the Tempe man accused of fatally shooting his wife, Ballet Arizona dancer Colleen Hoopes, in May 2022, will not be tried this month as originally scheduled. Prosecutors have now told a Maricopa County judge they expect the jury trial to land in 2027. Hoopes has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge tied to the shooting at the couple’s Tempe home, in a case that has drawn national attention and weighed heavily on the local dance community.
Prosecutors say trial needs extended expert work
At a recent hearing, prosecutors told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Monica Edelstein that the case is complex and they do not believe it can be tried before February. The office said it expects the case to be tried in 2027 and anticipates hiring its own expert witnesses. Judge Edelstein cautioned that the proceedings could last as long as two months, saying, "It's a significant case on both sides." Prosecutors also told the judge they are not making a plea offer at this time, though they said they remain open to negotiation, as reported by ABC15.
Body-cam video: 'I fired at my wife'
Body-camera footage obtained in the investigation shows Hoopes telling officers he "woke up startled" and "grabbed his gun" before firing. In the video, he can be heard saying, "It was like a dream... I fired at my wife," and that he thinks he fired three times. Those excerpts appear in court records reviewed by reporters and were released alongside coverage of the trial delay. ABC15 published the video and the quoted exchanges.
Defense cites medications, plans expert testimony
Court filings show the defense has sought permission to bring in a pharmacologist and a forensic psychiatrist to explain how legally prescribed medications might have affected Hoopes' perception. That strategy is the basis for an "involuntary intoxication" defense, a rarely used approach in homicide cases. Earlier reporting noted the defense had once signaled a willingness to explore a plea, but those conversations appear to have stalled, according to AZFamily.
Charges, indictment and what that means
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says a grand jury returned an indictment on May 27, 2022, charging Hoopes with one count of second-degree murder and one count of unlawful discharge of a weapon. The office described the murder charge as a Class 1 dangerous domestic-violence felony. The publicly released summary lays out the formal accusations and the office's intent to pursue the case on behalf of the victim and her family. Maricopa County Attorney's Office
Where things stand and community reaction
Earlier coverage followed the possibility of a plea negotiation in 2025, but the latest courtroom statements from prosecutors make clear that talks have not resolved the case and that an extended evidentiary phase is likely, as previously reported in earlier coverage of the stalled plea talks. Friends, colleagues and Ballet Arizona continue to remember Colleen for her work onstage, and community tributes and fundraisers have kept her memory alive since her death.
