If Justice is ever rendered in the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria, it won’t be delivered quickly.

St. Charles County Circuit Judge Christopher McDonough set a trial date of Aug. 3, 2026, for Pam Hupp, 66, more than five years after she was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Faria’s death.

With jury selection scheduled for July 2026, Judge McDonough scheduled 21 court days for Hupp’s trial from Aug. 3-31.

In addition to setting a trial date, Judge McDonough has also denied a media request to allow cameras into the courtroom for pre-trial hearings.

“The court is concerned that this request, if granted as to at least pre-trial proceedings, could potentially prejudice the rights of the defendant to a fair trial,” the Judge stated in his ruling denying the request.

He also delayed making a decision regarding cameras during the trial.

“With respect to trial coverage, the court will reserve making its ruling on the media request until such time as a trial date has been scheduled and counsel for the parties are given an opportunity to raise any objections to the request,” McDonough stated.

Pre-trial motions are scheduled to be discussed in a closed court session Friday, Jan. 10, at 1:30 p.m.

Hupp played an instrumental role in rendering some swift injustice, providing testimony that led to the arrest and conviction of Betsy’s husband, Russ in 2013, less than two years after his arrest.

In that trial, Faria’s attorney, Joel Schwartz was not allowed to present evidence that Betsy had named Hupp the beneficiary on a $150,000 life insurance policy four days before her murder.

He was able to present that evidence, along with the revelation that Lincoln County detectives had lied on the stand regarding the existence of crime scene photos. As a result, Faria’s conviction was overturned in 2015 and he later received a $2 million settlement from the county for the wrongful conviction and two plus years he spent in prison.

After the second trial, Hupp, who had driven Betsy home the night she was murdered, attempted to shift attention back to Faria, with an elaborate scheme that resulted in Gumpenberger’s death.

Hupp convinced Gumpenberger she was a Dateline Producer reproducing a 911 call. When he entered her home as directed brandishing a knife she had provided, she shot him dead.

Evidence quickly indicated though Hupp had staged the attack, including the recovery of money from Gumpenberger that was sequential to money Hupp had on her person.

She entered an Alford Plea to the first degree murder charge and in 2019, was sentenced to life in prison.

After the election of Mike Wood as Lincoln County’s new prosecutor in 2018, formal murder charges were filed against Hupp in Faria’s death.

She’s accused of stabbing Faria more than 50 times Dec. 27, 2011, four days after Betsy named Hupp the beneficiary on a $150,000 life insurance policy.

Schwartz was prevented from presenting the life insurance policy information in Faria’s first trial in 2013. He was able to though in Faria’s second trial in 2015 where he was declared not guilty. Evidence was also presented Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies lied during the first trial regarding the existence of crime scene photos.

After the wrongful conviction, Faria later sued Lincoln County and received a $2 million settlement.