A Lawrence man was formally charged Tuesday with second-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Jina Reyes.
Reyes, of Lawrence, was an artist, mother of two and member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She was found dead with multiple stab wounds behind the former VFW building in the 1800 block of Massachusetts Street Friday morning, according to police.
Lawrence police arrested a suspect, Aaron B. Wright, 63, the same day after interviewing witnesses. Police said Wright was known to Reyes but did not share further details.
Wright appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday via videoconference from the county jail. Second-degree murder is a level-1, or high-severity, felony.
A judge over the weekend had set Wright’s bond to $1 million, meaning Wright would likely have to pay a bondsman $100,000 to be released from jail while the case against him is pending.
Douglas County District Judge Stacey Donovan on Tuesday kept Wright’s bond set at $1 million. District Attorney Dakota Loomis had asked the court to keep the high bond because of public safety concerns should Wright be released.
Donovan appointed the public defender’s office to represent Wright. The office is representing him in two other pending cases.
Wright’s next court hearing will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, in conjunction with his other outstanding cases, in the courtroom of Judge Amy Hanley.
All arrestees and defendants in criminal cases should be presumed not guilty unless they are convicted.
Reyes’ friends and family members on Sunday held a memorial in her honor on the Haskell Indian Nations University campus.
Those in attendance shared how Reyes could always lift the mood in difficult situations. Friends described her as stubborn, strong-willed and wild, but big-hearted and comforting. And she could draw beautifully, they said.
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