A trial date has been set in case of Tom Wilcox, the Ironton man accused of killing his estranged wife earlier this year.

During a pretrial conference Wednesday, Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Charles Cooper set a trial date of March 8.

“This is so we have some idea what date we’re working toward,” Cooper said. “I’m setting aside four weeks.

Cooper must rule on more than 80 motions filed in the case, all submitted by defense counsel Charles Knight and William Eachus on behalf of Wilcox. Some are perfunctory: Such as requests for expert witnesses.

Wilcox’s attorneys and special prosecutors from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office have already reached an agreement on these matters, but such motions still require the judge to sign off on them.

Others, including the request for change of venue, which was submitted by the defense but opposed by the prosecution, will require Cooper’s decision. That is expected Friday.

Knight said after the hearing the Wilcox trial is “not a complicated case. The state claims it was arson and murder and we claim it’s not,” he said.

Paul Scarsella, counsel for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, declined any comment at this time.

Wilcox, 38, is accused of going to his estranged wife’s home in late April and assaulting her and then setting her on fire.

Amy Wilcox died more than a month layer at a Cincinnati hospital, leaving behind two children.

Tom Wilcox was also burned in the alleged incident. He spent several weeks in a Louisville, Ky., hospital before being released and brought back to Lawrence County to face multiple charges against him.

He remains in the Scioto County Jail under a $10 million bond.