Still no plea from man accused of killing Kristen Marti as court searches for an attorney
After two days in court, the man accused of murdering 26-year-old San Luis Obispo resident Kristen Marti still has not entered a plea as a search for an appropriate attorney continues.
Robert William Koehler, 36, of Arroyo Grande entered no plea Tuesday to a single count of murder after his arraignment Monday was postponed while the Public Defender's Office reviewed whether it had any potential conflicts in the case.
On Tuesday, it declared it did have a conflict and the court searched for a "conflict" attorney who will defend Koehler under a contract with the Public Defender's Office. While a potential attorney has been identified, Superior Court Judge Ginger Garrett set a further arraignment hearing for June 12 to ensure that attorney has no conflicts, according to Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth.
In the meantime, Koehler, who waived his right to a speedy trial, will remain in San Luis Obispo County Jail. He's being held without bail.
Few details about the case have been released, but the District Attorney's Office's complaint includes a sentencing enhancement for use of a deadly weapon, a knife, during the alleged murder. The complaint also states that Koehler has a prior felony conviction for carjacking out of Shasta County in 2005.
The body of Marti, who had been missing since Jan. 9, was discovered April 2 following a large-scale search of the Perfumo Canyon area, where she is believed to have been last seen with Koehler, who did not have a prior relationship with Marti, San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell said at a news conference at the time.
On May 16, police announced that they arrested Koehler, who had previously been identified as a person of interest in the case, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a warrant was issued when he left San Luis Obispo County with his wife on May 2.
He was held in the Hennepin County Jail in Minnesota before being extradited to California last week.
This story was originally published June 5, 2018 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Still no plea from man accused of killing Kristen Marti as court searches for an attorney."