The $200,000 cash-only bond will remain in place for a man accused of first degree murder stemming from a 2021 shooting in Parachute, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Ninth Judicial District Judge Anne K. Norrdin denied a request to reduce the $200,000 cash-only bond for John Michael Worley, 31, who is charged with first-degree murder in the 2021 shooting death of Wayne Moore.

Worley was arrested in May 2024, nearly three years after Moore was found shot in his vehicle along U.S. Highway 6 west of Parachute. He also faces charges of stalking and tampering with evidence.

Defense attorney Chris Troxell argued for a substantial bond reduction and for the bond to be converted to cash or surety, saying Worley has no prior criminal history or failures to appear, is not a flight risk, and has family support willing to post a reasonable bond. Troxell said the high cash requirement has kept Worley in custody and limits his ability to assist in his defense.

Troxell also cited new evidence — a confidential informant’s statement suggesting someone else may have been responsible for the killing — and raised questions about tool mark evidence linking a gun slide to shell casings at the scene. He told the court Worley is willing to comply with strict pretrial conditions, including GPS monitoring.

Deputy District Attorney Eric Lund opposed the reduction, calling Worley a public safety risk and pointing to the nature of the killing, which he described as “execution style.” Lund said similar local murder cases have seen bonds of $1 million or more, and that Moore’s son now objects to any further reduction.

Norrdin ruled there had been no significant change in circumstances since she lowered Worley’s bond from $5 million to $200,000 in January. She also noted the defense had not secured a confirmed place for Worley to live in Colorado if released, and expressed concern about the possibility of him leaving the state.

“I certainly don’t foreclose the defendant from asking the court again to address bond with additional information,” Norrdin said, “but based on what I’m receiving today, I will respectfully decline to modify the bond that’s currently set.”

The court also scheduled Worley’s three-week jury trial to begin Feb. 9, 2026, with a statutory speedy trial deadline extended to March 12. Motions are due by Oct. 13, with a review hearing set for Oct. 14. The next court date is Aug. 26 to address the defense motion seeking the identity of the confidential informant.