A key witness in a city homicide case is missing — authorities believe she’s on the run from her own legal troubles.

But the disappearance of 23-year-old Kimberly Summers prompted Richard Neyman’s trial to be delayed Thursday, minutes before attorneys were prepared to start interviewing potential jurors.

Neyman, 37, stands accused of shooting Craig Haas, 45, to death on his city porch on Sept. 27, 2012.

Neyman at the time of the shooting reportedly told investigators that he’d gone to Haas’ apartment in search of his girlfriend. When he arrived, Neyman allegedly claimed he was attacked by Haas and a gun Neyman had went off, fatally shooting Haas in the chest.

Neyman could face life in prison if he is convicted of first-degree homicide.

One of Neyman’s defense attorneys, Charles Nedz on Thursday told Butler County Judge Timothy McCune that Summers is the defense’s “most important eye witness” because she was with Haas in the hour before the argument that ended in the shooting.

The judge agreed to postpone the trial in the hopes that Summers will be found.

Nedz told the judge that he believes Summers is in hiding and actively avoiding law officials because she is wanted on a probation violation in Butler County and Pittsburgh police also are looking for her. Although the details of the Pittsburgh allegations were not available, Nedz said either case could result in jail time for Summers, who has lived in both Allegheny and Butler counties.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Lope said he did not oppose the defense request to delay the trial because the prosecution also wants Summers to testify.

The judge’s decision came even as a room full of Butler County residents were sitting in the court house preparing to be interviewed as possible jurors, and more than two dozen witnesses had been subpoenaed. The trial was scheduled to begin Feb. 9 and last about a week.

The judge did not pick a new date for the trial.