A plea entry hearing has been delayed until May for the man accused of killing an Arvada police officer last September.

The Jefferson County district court judge overseeing the case granted a two-month extension Friday to give a new attorney for the suspect time to review the case.

Sonny Almanza, 31, faces nine charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Officer Dillon Vakoff, 27, on Sept. 11. Public defenders have represented him until now, and private attorney Nancy Holton has taken over Almanza’s case. She requested a continuance of  the arraignment, the hearing in which Almanza will enter a plea, for two months.

Judge Russell Klein reset the arraignment for May 30 at 8:30 a.m.

Arraignment delayed for man accused of killing Arvada police officer

Vakoff and another officer had come to break up a fight between family members of Almanza and the mother of his children. Authorities alleged that Almanza used an AR-style rifle to shoot into the group, and one hit his ex-partner’s sister, the police said. 

Vakoff fired in response, and another volley of shots by Almanza hit Vakoff several times, according to police testimony during a probable cause hearing for the case against Almaanza. One shot that severed Vakoff’s spinal cord killed him instantly.

Frantic calls, panicked screams: Details emerge in court about killing of Arvada officer

The charges Almanza faces include first-degree murder of a peace officer; first-degree murder with extreme indifference; attempted murder with extreme indifference; second-degree assault against his ex-girlfriend’s sister, Mercedes Lopez; possession of a weapon by a previous offender; and, possession of a banned high-capacity magazine. He has a previous conviction for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

Arvada police officer died breaking up a violent child custody dispute, arrest warrant says