Trial dates for the defendants in the murder trial of 54-year-old Upper Macungie resident Cheryl Silvonek were set on Dec. 18 in a Lehigh County courtroom.

Jamie Lynn Silvonek, 14, the daughter of the deceased, and her then 20-year-old boyfriend Caleb Barnes have been awaiting trial in Lehigh County Prison since being charged with the March 15 murder of Cheryl Silvonek.

In separate status conferences, the two defendants were present in the courtroom.

During Barnes’ conference, his defense attorney again requested a change of venue in his client’s high profile case and also asked for continuing discovery be made available from the commonwealth.

During Silvonek’s conference, Judge Maria Dantos refused to recuse herself from the bench for the upcoming trial and also issued a gag order in both the Silvonek and Barnes cases.

Both cases will be heading to trial before Dantos in a few months.

Silvonek will be tried first, with the trial set to begin March 7, 2016.

Barnes will be tried shortly thereafter on April 11, 2016.