A woman accused of shooting her husband dead in Murrumbateman has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge less than a week out from the first anniversary of the man's death.
Dale Lee Vella, 53, faced the NSW Supreme Court via audio-visual from the Dillwynia Correctional Centre, in north-western Sydney, for arraignment on Friday morning.
Justice Helen Wilson asked Vella to formally enter her plea to a charge that she murdered her husband, Mark Anthony Vella, on August 9 last year.
"Not guilty, your honour," the 53-year-old replied.
Justice Wilson listed Vella's jury trial, which the court heard was expected to take three weeks, to start on April 3, 2023, in Sydney.
Vella has been behind bars on remand since the night of the alleged murder, when police were called to her Murrumbateman Road home about 10pm after reports of a shooting.
"On arrival, officers from the Hume Police District found a 52-year-old man suffering a fatal gunshot wound," NSW Police said in a statement the following morning.
"A crime scene was established, which was examined by specialist forensic police.
"Detectives commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting."
Vella was arrested at the scene and taken to Yass Police Station before being charged and remanded in custody by Goulburn Local Court magistrate Geraldine Beattie.
She was committed to the Supreme Court for trial in June.
