A former reality TV contestant, facing serious allegations of murdering her partner, will have to wait for police to finish processing a substantial amount of evidence before knowing which charges will be pursued against her.

The contestant is accused of murder, destruction of human remains, and obstructing justice after the dismembered body of 39-year-old Julian Story was discovered at their residence in Port Lincoln, located on the Eyre Peninsula, on June 19.

During the court session, Prosecutor Lisa Duong requested Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal to postpone the proceedings until the following May.

“I inform the court that there is still outstanding material which the Director of Public Prosecutions needs to evaluate for determining the charges,” Duong explained.

In the hearing, the former Beauty and the Geek contestant spoke only once to confirm she could both see and hear the proceedings clearly.

She is being held under a mental health detention order at psychiatric facility James Nash House.

Duong told the court that prosecutors were awaiting a post-mortem report, due in February or March, and crime scene analysis, including fire examination and blood pattern analysis.

They are also awaiting forensic analysis of phones owned by Chesser and Story.

“Significantly, there is also DNA evidence that is outstanding,” Duong said.

“Given the volume of the DNA evidence in this matter, the report will be provided in two stages.”

The first report is due on April 17 next year, and the second is due on July 10.

The prosecution expected to be able to make a decision on charge determination after the first report was completed.

Hribal adjourned the matter until May 19.

On June 27, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke issued a plea for public help “because tragically, we have not recovered the head of Julian Story”.

A Port Lincoln resident told police on July 31 that they had found a skull in scrub while pursuing a wandering dog.

Tests by Forensic Science SA confirmed the remains belonged to Story.

In June, police released still images and video of a woman they allege was Chesser walking on Port Lincoln streets that were recorded after the killing, which investigators allege occurred about midnight on June 17.

The images show a woman wearing a black headscarf and black full-body coverings, carrying a bag.

Fielke said police would not discount the possibility that Story’s head was inside the bag.