GREEN BAY, Wis. — A Brown County judge who was scheduled to sentence a woman for lying during a homicide investigation was informed Monday that the defendant had died.

When the case was called, Deputy District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil told the judge that Kathryn Friday had recently died, but did not offer any specifics about the death.

The 68-year-old defendant was dating James Prokopovitz when his wife, Victoria, disappeared in 2013. He was charged with her murder in May 2019, even though her body has never been found.

During the investigation, a secret John Doe hearing was held and Friday lied about the case. She pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit perjury, perjury, and obstruction earlier this year, WLUK-TV reported.

Lemkuil moved to dismiss the charges, which was granted by Judge Tammy Jo Hock.

Prokopovitz is scheduled to stand trial Feb. 12.