PERUGIA, Italy -- A judge in Italy has decided to keep UW student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend in jail for trial in the death of her housemate.

Judge Paolo Micheli rejected defense requests Wednesday to grant house arrest to the 21-year-old Seattle woman and her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, both of whom were indicted Tuesday on murder charges.

Another man convicted in the case, Rudy Guede from Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the three stabbed Meredith Kercher to death a year ago during sexual assault in the house the English student shared with Knox in the town of Perugia.

Trial starts Dec. 4.

Knox's father, Curt Knox, said the family had hoped to get her out of jail, where she has been held nearly a year. He says returning to the United States is not an option.

Knox and her Italian boyfriend will stand trial for murdering of British woman.

 Background: UW student arrested | Timeline: Knox case

Prosecutors say they will argue in court that the three slashed Kercher’s neck with a knife after a drug-fueled sex game went bad

Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, said his client "was quite disappointed" by the ruling that she would be tried for the killing.

"She is ready to start again," Ghirga told reporters. "The (first) hearing is very close, we have to reorganize our defense line in time."

Prosecutors allege Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.

Guede admitted being in the house but denied any part in the killing, claiming he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. He said he fled Italy after the slaying because he was frightened.

Sollecito, 24, has said that he was in his own apartment in Perugia at the time of the killing and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.

Knox initially told investigators she was in the apartment when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.

Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.

They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and argue the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.

Prosecutors say they will argue in court that the three slashed Kercher’s neck with a knife after a drug-fueled sex game went bad.

Meantime, Knox’s parents, who live in Seattle, maintain that their daughter is innocent.

If convicted, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars in Italy.