Suspect in Ariz. murder appears in court

Teen’s motion to modify release conditions denied

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A former Hancock resident accused of murdering a former Lake Linden resident in Arizona will remain in the Maricopa County Jail after a judge denied his motion to modify his release conditions in Maricopa County Superior Court Wednesday.

Elliot Bennett, 19, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, is lodged in the jail on a $1 million bond. He allegedly shot Jacques Bourdeau, 44, several times inside Bourdeau's house in Mesa on March 8.

Bennett is charged with three felonies: first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and endangerment. If found guilty on the murder charge, he could be sentenced to up to life in prison.

Bourdeau had described Bennett as a friend when telling other people in the house he was coming over that night, witnesses told police. They reported hearing sounds of gunfire outside before Bourdeau ran in and locked the door. Bennett then broke in and found Bourdeau in the bathroom, where he fatally shot him, witnesses said.

Witnesses told police Bennett then drove away. Police found a vehicle matching one seen that day on security footage at the home Bennett shared with his parents in Lake Havasu City.

He was arrested two days later.

Bennett is scheduled for a pretrial conference on June 20. The hearing will include updates on the status of plea negotiations, the expected number of trial days, and the number of witnesses, among other facts, according to minutes of Wednesday's hearing. No plea offers have been made yet.

A trial management conference will take place Nov. 9; a trial assignment hearing will follow a week later. At that hearing, the judge will set dates for the trial procedure conference and jury selection.