WAVERLY - Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of a 25-year-old Sumner man accused of killing another person three years ago.

Lawrence Hamby is accused of killing Paul McKinney, 52, of Sumner, at McKinney's home in January 2006. Law enforcement officials arrested Hamby in April 2007 at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, where he was being held for a probation violation for a third-degree burglary conviction in Bremer County. Authorities arrested Hamby the day he was scheduled to be released.

Hamby was friends with Paul McKinney's son, Nathan, and authorities said they considered Hamby a material witness early in the homicide investigation. Nathan McKinney is also considered a material witness in the case.

Not long after Paul McKinney's death, Black Hawk County authorities took Hamby into custody on a probation violation. Hamby allegedly told investigators he bought alcohol for Nathan McKinney, then 19 years old.

Paul McKinney was found dead in his home Jan. 19. The State Medical Examiner's Office said McKinney suffered trauma to his head, neck and chest and ruled the death a homicide.

County Attorney Kasey Wadding said he expects testimony to begin Wednesday.