A parolee accused of strangling his girlfriend in March and then going gambling pleaded innocent Monday in Faulkner County Circuit Court, according to his defense attorney.
A pretrial hearing for Scotty Ray Gardner, 55, of Conway is scheduled for July 11, according to court documents.
Gardner is charged with capital murder in the March 6 killing of girlfriend Susan Heather Stubbs, 41, of Conway.
Attorney Scott Brisendine of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission would not comment on the case beyond saying that Gardner had pleaded innocent earlier Monday in court.
After his arrest March 7, Gardner reportedly told Hot Springs police that he had become angry with Stubbs and grabbed a nearby cord and wrapped it around her neck to get her to "shut up."
He then took her money and phone and drove a truck to Hot Springs so he could gamble, according to affidavits.
Gardner was paroled Dec. 4, 2014, after spending 23 years in state prison for first-degree criminal attempted murder.
Metro on 04/26/2016