Bond denied for former UA grad student accused in fatal shooting of professor
The man charged with murder in the death of a University of Arizona professor had his bond denied by a judge on Thursday.
Former UA graduate student Murad Dervish, 46, is charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 5 shooting death of Thomas Meixner, UA's hydrology and aquatic sciences department head. Meixner was walking from a class to his office.
A Pima County Superior Court judge denied Dervish bond during a Thursday hearing, according to Pima County Attorney's Office spokesperson CT Revere.
Dervish also is charged with aggravated assault, burglary, misconduct involving weapons and three counts of endangerment, according to court records. Another person was also injured by a bullet fragment in the shooting, according to previous reporting by The Arizona Republic.
Police said at the time that Dervish had made threats against staff. He was taken into custody some hours after the shooting.
Police said Dervish told them, “I hope he’s OK, probably wishful thinking," and that he felt "so disrespected by that whole department,” according to court documents.
On Monday, UA President Robert C. Robbins penned a letter to students and faculty saying that prior to the shooting, university police filed two complaints pursuing charges against Dervish for communication with a staff member and for alleged harassment of faculty. The County Attorney's Office did not pursue charges, Robbins said in the letter.
In response, County Attorney Laura Conover said in a statement that charges, specifically on threatening and intimidation, were not filed because the complaints lacked evidence under state law.
Dervish was expelled in June, according to Robbins' letter.
The defendant's next court date for a case management hearing is set for Nov. 17, Revere said.
Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on Twitter @jrgzztx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bond denied for former UA grad student accused in slaying of professor
