Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Woman on Arizona Hiking Trail Pleads Not Guilty to Murder

A man accused of fatally stabbing a woman hiking on a desert trail in Phoenix last month in an apparently random attack has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Zion William Teasley, 22, appeared in court for an arraignment hearing Tuesday following his indictment by a Maricopa County grand jury on one count of first-degree murder for the death of Lauren Heike.

The judge entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf for the murder charge.

Teasley’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 10, with the trial expected to begin in mid-January 2024. He is currently being held in the Maricopa County Jail on $1 million bond.

Read the source article at abcnews.go.com