San Diego

A Nov. 3 trial date has been set for accused killer David A. Lucas, and pretrial motions in the case were recessed Tuesday until Aug. 20.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Franklin Orfield vacated Monday’s trial date for Lucas, 31, of Spring Valley, who is charged with six murders, after a new attorney was appointed.

William Saunders was relieved as defense attorney and Steve Feldman replaced him on three of the six murder counts. Feldman was ordered to return to court Aug. 25 to name a trial date.

The Nov. 3 date means that Lucas will be tried first in the 1984 slayings of Anne Swanke, 22, of San Carlos; Rhonda Strang, 24, and Amber Fisher, 3, both of Lakeside. In that case, he is also accused of kidnaping and attempted murder of Jodie Santiago, 30, of Seattle, on June 7, 1984, in El Cajon.

The cases Feldman represents Lucas on include the 1981 throat slashing of Gayle Garcia, 30, in a Spring Valley house she was showing to a prospective buyer, and the 1979 slayings of Suzanne Jacobs, 31, and her 3-year-old son Colin.

The pretrial motions began in January and have continued with the exception of a one-month recess.