JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man who was arrested and charged with murder in a deadly stabbing last month in Arlington pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court Thursday with an interpreter.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said Yery Medina-Ulloa originally provided identification of a 17-year-old when he was arrested in the death of a man he said was his uncle. That ID was later determined to be false.
Detectives found out from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that Medina-Ulloa is 24 years old and from Honduras. Jail records show he was in Jacksonville for just two months before the incident.
On Medina-Ulloa’s behalf, the public defender pleaded not guilty Thursday to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence charges in the case. A pre-trial date was set for Nov. 30.
Prosecutors are meeting with the grand jury on Nov. 18 to present their case to upgrade the charge to first-degree murder.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Medina-Ulloa told police he stabbed his “uncle” after he was struck by him. JSO said it found that the home had interior surveillance video, which showed the incident.
The Sheriff’s Office said it recovered a knife from a wooded area on Homard Place, where Medina-Ulloa was found walking, covered in blood.
Prosecutors are currently seeking a sentence of more than 20 years to life if Medina-Ulloa is convicted. The state wants the trial to start March 31.
Medina-Ulloa is currently being held without bond and ICE has a hold on him.