MONROE — Derek Hammer will be arraigned this week on three disorderly conduct charges and is facing his first jury trial since the disappearance in 2021 of his girlfriend Melissa Trumpy of Monticello.

While he has yet to be charged in the girlfriend’s case, the disorderly conduct charges are related to a domestic incident involving the woman and her family in Monticello. He is scheduled to appear at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 6, before judge Faun Marie Phillipson.

In addition to the disorderly conduct charges, he also faces four separate criminal complaints in Green County detailing felony charges for, among other things, weapons and bail jumping. He is also charged with felonies in Stephenson County and has been arrested in Carroll County

At the same time, authorities have said he remains the primary suspect in the disappearance of Melissa Trumpy of Monticello, who has been gone since October of last year. Trumpy also has been charged with felonies in Green County, including maintaining a drug trafficking place.

The 37-year-old mother was last documented leaving work on Oct. 26, 2021 and was reportedly headed to Carroll County, authorities have said, but Hammer hasn’t provided any information to police on her whereabouts. Hammer was living in Shannon, Ill. at the time. 

Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen said the county is bringing in an initial pool of 45 potential jurors for a trial that could start as early as next week. The large pool of jurors is necessary, he said, given the amount of publicity the case has generated in two states.

Nolen said Hammer is innocent until proven guilty. Trumpy’s family, however, have been outspoken about her disappearance and have alleged in media interviews that he likely knows where she is and what happened to her.

“This is not an ordinary disorderly conduct case,” said Nolen. “The (disappearance of Trumpy) is still an unsolved issue.”

Authorities in Illinois, Nolen said, have taken the lead on the case of Trumpy’s whereabouts but haven’t announced any significant progress in months. Hammer is represented by attorney Michael Shannon Murphy, according to court records.