A judge has halted the death penalty trial of a Jesup man accused of killing his former wife and her parents.

Authorities say 40-year-old James Ralph "J.R." Spell is accused of killing 24-year-old Amanda Harrison Spell and her parents, 49-year-old Jeaney Mason Harrison and 54-year-old Gary Aldine Harrison.

Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett stopped jury selection and ordered the trial moved elsewhere because too many prospective jurors know about the case.

Scarlett said the trial should be moved because about 30 percent of the 300 Wayne County residents in the jury pool were related to either the Harrisons or Spell, or already had formed an opinion after hearing about the triple slaying.

Brunswick is among possible new sites for the trial.