YORK, Pa.—A central Pennsylvania woman accused of having killed her elderly grandmother with drug-laced chili 4 1/2 years ago is scheduled to enter a plea later this year.

The York Dispatch ( http://bit.ly/RoX4rQ) says 41-year-old Shelby Lyn Adams of York was in York County Court on Friday for a pretrial conference at which attorneys informed the judge that she wanted to enter a plea.

Court documents indicate that a "guilty plea" hearing is scheduled Dec. 18, but chief deputy prosecutor Tim Barker and chief public defender Bruce Blocher said they were barred from talking about the case.

Prosecutors allege that the hospital emergency room worker stole checks from 90-year-old Ada Adams and forged and cashed them, then killed the victim with morphine-laced chili in April 2008 to cover up the thefts.

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Information from: The York Dispatch, http://www.yorkdispatch.com