Arlington Heights man pleads not guilty to killing wife with hatchet
An Arlington Heights man accused of murdering his wife with a hatchet last month pleaded not guilty Tuesday to all charges against him during a brief appearance in a Racine County, Wisconsin, courtroom.
Cristian Loga-Negru, 38, faces charges of murder, kidnapping and mayhem stemming from the Nov. 19 slaying of Roxana Abrudan in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, where authorities said she had been hiding from her abusive husband at a friend's home.
Loga-Negru appeared in court Tuesday wearing an orange jumpsuit and bound at the legs. He was accompanied by Racine criminal defense attorney Patrick Cafferty and waived his right to a preliminary hearing before pleading not guilty.
Loga-Negru appeared calm and answered Judge Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz in quiet, complete sentences when asked if he understood the charges against him and possible penalties he would face if convicted.
Earlier this month, Loga-Negru was declared competent for trial by a doctor in Wisconsin who assessed his conduct, demeanor and understanding of the court proceedings against him, according to court documents.
Loga-Negru and his 36-year-old wife, both of Arlington Heights, had married in July, but the relationship turned violent soon after, according to an order of protection Abrudan had recently obtained against her husband detailing months of abuse.
He is accused of tracking Abrudan to a Mount Pleasant home where she had been staying with a friend, attacking her with a hatchet, then dragging her body into a car and driving to a nearby motel, where police arrested him. Abrudan died later that night at a Milwaukee hospital.
Loga-Negru faces life plus 85 years in prison if convicted. He is being held without bond.
He will next appear in court Jan. 16.