Mail Tribune News - Murder suspect pleads not guilty

Document text

Murder suspect pleads not guilty A Prospect man accused of killing his cousin was arraigned Tuesday in a Jackson County courtroom. Mark Curtis Fernandez, 26, pleaded not guilty to three charges -- murder and first- and second-degree kidnapping -- and requested a speedy trial during a brief appearance before Judge Ray White. The judge set a pre-trial conference Nov. 8. A Jackson County grand jury indicted Fernandez last week in connection with the death of his 20-year-old cousin, Jaime Fernandez, who was last seen alive at his Eagle Point home Oct. 15. Sheriff's detectives said they arrested Mark Fernandez after a two-day investigation, and that he then led them to his cousin's body in a remote area near Lost Creek Lake. Few details have emerged since the arrest. Prosecutors sealed several relevant court records and have refused to discuss the case. The prosecutor handling the case, Deputy District Attorney Judy Harper, did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday afternoon. Fernandez remains lodged in jail on a no-bail detainer pending trial. Mail Tribune Copyright �  The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA