Miguel Angel Villegas Pacheco
VISALIA, Calif. (AP) — A Central California man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed his autistic teenage stepson, whose body was found days after he was reported missing.
KFSN-TV reports that Miguel Angel Villegas Pacheco of Visalia, Calif., entered the plea on Monday to a first-degree murder charge during his arraignment in Tulare County Superior Court.
His 14-year-old stepson, Dameian "Luke" Gulley, was reported missing after he failed to show up to middle school on Nov. 18.
Authorities say Dameian's body was found partially covered in a trail in Sequoia National Park by a park employee on Nov. 21. It's not clear how he died or what led authorities to arrest the 32-year-old Pacheco.
Pacheco is being represented by a public defender. He's due back in court on Dec. 13
6, 2013 booking photo released by the Tulare County Sheriff's Department shows Miguel Angel Villegas Pacheco. The Central California man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed his autistic teenage stepson, whose body was found days after he was reported missing.
KFSN-TV reports that Pacheco, of Visalia, Calif., entered the plea on Monday to a first-degree murder charge during his arraignment in Tulare County Superior Court.
His 14-year-old stepson, Dameian "Luke" Gulley, was reported missing after he failed to show up to middle school on Nov. 18.
Authorities say Dameian's body was found partially covered in a trail in Sequoia National Park by a park employee on Nov. 21. It's not clear how he died or what led authorities to arrest the 32-year-old Pacheco.
Pacheco is being represented by a public defender. He's due back in court on Dec. 13.
