Trial of two men accused in Alex Johnson murder case is delayed until June 2016

The trial of two men accused of killing Alex Johnson of Lexington and placing his body in a bourbon barrel has been rescheduled until 2016.

According to Fayette Circuit Court documents, Robert Markham Taylor and Timothy Ballard are scheduled to have a jury trial June 1, 2016 on multiple charges stemming from the beating and slaying of Johnson, 30.

Taylor, 29, is charged with murder, kidnapping and tampering with physical evidence. Ballard, 43, is charged with kidnapping, tampering with evidence and being a persistent felon.

The men were acquaintances, police have said.

Johnson, then 32, was found in the Kentucky River Jan. 24, 2014, after he was reported missing in December 2013.

Lee and Judy Johnson, Alex's parent, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several city officials alleging police and call takers mishandled the case after Johnson was reported missing.

Mark Wohlander, an attorney for Lee and Judy Johnson, said the family has agreed to delay the civil case until the trial against Taylor and Ballard concludes.

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Trial of two men accused in Alex Johnson murder case is delayed until June 2016."