A Penticton man and former Mountie will stand trial next year charged with the second-degree murder of his common-law wife.

Keith Gregory Wiens’ trial will take place in Kelowna Supreme Court on May 27, 2013. The trial will happen before a judge and jury and could last 15 days.

He is charged in the shooting death of Lynn Kalmring who was killed at the couple’s South Main Street home in Penticton Aug. 16, 2011.

Defence lawyer for Wiens, Ian McKay was in Penticton Supreme Court Friday asking that his client’s charge be returned to B.C. provincial court so that Wiens could seek a preliminary inquiry.

However that application was turned down by Justice L.P. Williamson.

Williamson said Wiens’ former lawyer, Donald Skogstad, could have asked for a preliminary inquiry when the case was in provincial court last year.

Brandy Cummings, who is Kalmring’s daughter, was glad the case will move forward.

“I think it’s a complete waste of time to do the preliminary trial,” said Cummings. “I don’t think there’s any point because it’s all evidence that we already have, we already know, that needs to be brought to trial anyways.”

She said knowing that Wiens will stand trial is another step on the healing journey.

“We haven’t even had a chance to wrap our heads around it because we have to deal with the court and the trial and you know most get a chance to. With cancer you get a chance to deal with the death and move forward . . . people get to mourn. We haven’t had that chance yet.”

Cumming said the family is ripe with a multitude of emotions around Kalmring’s death.

“We want this to be over with,” she said. “We want to see him sentenced and we want to be able to move forward with our lives and feel relief.”

Kalmring’s sister, Shelley Pertelson, feels as though Wiens' options have run out.

“I think he should be running out of rights,” said Pertelson. “My sister didn’t get a second chance. I really believe he shouldn’t get a second chance. She got the death sentence; we got a life sentence and he got all the rights to fight to keep living.”

Kalmring’s mother, Mallie Katzel was pleased with the court’s decision.

“I’m real happy about it because he should have his trial,” she said.

Wiens retired in 2001 after a 20-year career with the Summerland RCMP.