PASADENA >> A man of killing his ex-girlfriend, whose body was found inside a car in Monrovia after she was reported missing in June, denied a murder charge Wednesday in Pasadena Superior Court, officials said.
Jose Roberto Turner, 47, of Pasadena pleaded not guilty to a county of murder for the death of Lajoya McCoy, 31, of Monrovia, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said.
He was scheduled to return to court Oct. 15 for a hearing in his case.
Prosecutors charged Turner with murder Sept. 3 after several months of investigation into McCoy’s death.
McCoy and Turner had two children together.
After being reported missing June 15, McCoy’s body was discovered June 16 inside her car, which was parked in the 200 block of West Cypress Avenue in Monrovia, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
“According to the criminal complaint, Turner committed the murder on June 10,” district attorney’s office spokesman Ricardo Santiago said in a written statement.
Coroner’s officials have not disclosed McCoy’s official cause of death, citing a “security hold” placed on the case by sheriff’s investigators.
But court documents allege that Turner used a rope or cord to commit the slaying.
