Brad Srebnik and Joshua Wirgau are accused in the 2021 deaths of Alpena teen Brynn Bills and Alpena woman Abby Hill.

Srebnik, 36, is charged with two counts of premeditated murder, weapons charges, and disinterment and mutilation of a body.

Wirgau, 35, faces one count of premeditated murder, disinterment, and weapons charges, and a count of accessory after the fact to a felony.

Both men are currently serving two-year prison sentences on weapons charges in a separate case.

Brad Srebnik, left, sits with defense attorney Mike Vogler in Alpena’s 88th District Court in this October 2021 News archive photo.

According to Alpena County Prosecutor Cynthia Muszynski, the motion hearing, on May 17, gives the defense and prosecution an opportunity to make final requests to 88th District Court Judge Alan Curtis pertaining to the upcoming preliminary examination, which is slated for June 5 to 9.

“For the motion hearing, both sides get an opportunity to lay out any issues they have and have the judge decide on them ahead of time prior to the preliminary examination,” she said. “Once we get his answers on the motions, then we can plan accordingly.”

If Curtis determines during the presentation of evidence during the preliminary examination that there is enough probable cause to move the case to trial, it will take place in the 26th Judicial Circuit Court.

The preliminary examination has already been pushed back several times because of the amount of evidence in the case.

Muszynski said she doesn’t believe that will be the case this time around and believes the examination will move forward.

The high-profile case has slowly made its way through the court system after a lengthy investigation. The Michigan Attorney General’s Office is working with Muszynski and her team to convict the two men.

Bills was reported missing in August 2021. Police, acting on a tip, searched a wooded area behind Wirgau’s home on Naylor Road on Sept. 28 and found the teen’s body, which they identified through tattoo markings.

On Oct. 5 of the same year, police said Hill was missing and on Oct. 15, her body was found during a search of a wooded area in Alpena Township. Police said at the time it appeared Hill died by homicide.

Muszynski said the reason the investigation and court proceedings dragged on so long is because it is important that all the ducks are in a row for the preliminary exam and possible trial.

“When it comes to having a trial, for this or any type of case, we want to get it right the first and only time,” she said. “In order to do that we want to make sure we have all of our evidence prior to filing charges and making sure everything is done correctly before going to trial. That is what has taken so long in this particular case.”

The motion hearing is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on May 17.