A final autopsy report on murder victim Kathryn Parton may not be available until early next year, a court has heard.
A judge was also told it will take up to six months to obtain full forensic evidence in connection with the fatal attack at the 34-year-old victim’s home in east Belfast.
Ms Parton’s body was found in the blood-stained bedroom of her Madrid Street property on May 15.
Police claim she had been beaten to death by 23-year-old Jamie Love.
Love, who was in a relationship with Ms Parton and lived at the address, is charged with her murder.
His mother and a friend are also being prosecuted for allegedly helping to clear up evidence and remove him from the scene.
Suzanne Love (43) of Isoline Street in Belfast, and Reece Oliver (22) from Castleton Gardens in the city, both face counts of assisting an offender and aiding and abetting a breach of bail.
The three defendants, who are currently remanded in custody, all deny the charges.
Detectives believe the victim, known as Kat, lay undiscovered for six days before her father went to the property check on her wellbeing.
Based on CCTV and witness evidence, the fatal attack is thought to have been carried out on May 9.
An examination of her home identified blood around the body, on the bed and the walls, previous courts were told.
Further signs of a disturbance included a television broken from a bracket and lying on the bedroom floor.
Ms Parton’s next door neighbour told detectives there was shouting and banging coming from the adjoining property that night, and hearing a female voice saying “get off me”.
Initial post-mortem examinations indicated that the mother-of-one one died from haemorrhaging, a laceration to the scalp and nasal fractures.
According to the prosecution, she had been subjected to a sustained assault to the head which involved no weapons apart from the assailant’s fists.
The three defendants were said to have been seen on CCTV footage leaving the address.
Jamie Love and Oliver allegedly then stayed at B&B accommodations in Strabane and Portaferry, which were booked by Suzanne Love.
Two bloodied footprints found at the murder scene matched boots and trainers recovered at her home, it was claimed.
The footwear had been washed and put out to dry in the sun.
At Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Oliver’s solicitor, Pearse MacDermott, sought an update on the investigation.
A Crown lawyer said police are due to submit a file by the end of July.
However, District Judge Steven Keown was told it will take “at least six months” to obtain full autopsy and forensic reports.
Mr Keown adjourned the case until August 5.