BRIGHTON, Colo. -- An Adams County District Court judge ruled Friday that evidence was sufficient to try Lance McDermed for murder in the shootings of a Thornton couple who lived next door.

Investigators say the defendant walked to his neighbor's house and shot Marco Escobedo at the front door, then entered the house and shot Escobedo's wife, Vera. They say the defendant was angry about an alleged dispute over noise and parking.

Neighbor Kevin Nash testified at McDermed's preliminary hearing Friday, saying he heard several pops the night of the shooting. Nash said he ran to his front door and saw McDermed leaving the neighbor's house while stuffing a gun down his pants.

McDermed's wife was also called to testify. She didn't want to and even hired an attorney to get her out of it, but the judge told her she had to. Conda McDermed told the court that she loved her husband, but that it was hard to get along with him.

When asked if she had any concerns about her husband before Feb. 16, she said, "I didn't think anything like this would happen."

The victim's family doesn't buy it.

"You could tell she was holding back," said Michael Torres, Vera's godfather. "There were statements (during the hearing) that were contradictory, I felt. She knows what happened."