Accused of homicide, Steven Zelich enters not guilty plea

KENOSHA CO. (WITI) -- 52-year-old Steven Zelich was in court on Monday afternoon, August 18th -- and entered not guilty pleas to charges connected to the 2012 death of Jenny Gamez of Cottage Grove, Oregon.

Zelich faces two charges in Kenosha County — first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse.

A criminal complaint says the former suburban Milwaukee officer killed the 19-year-old college student during a sexual choking game that went too far, hid her body in a suitcase and then kept her body in his refrigerator for months.

Zelich has already entered a not guilty plea for two counts of hiding a corpse in Walworth County. Charges are also expected in Olmsted County, Minnesota — where the other victim in this case, 37-year-old Laura Simonson, allegedly died under similar circumstances.

Zelich is due back in court on October 21st.

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