Arraignment was held Friday morning in Christian District Court Friday for 46-year old James Gentry of Hopkinsville, the convicted murderer who allegedly cut off his ankle monitor during his trial and fled to California.
Gentry was out on bond in July when he cut off his ankle monitor and fled Hopkinsville while his trial was ongoing in Trigg County for the November 27, 2018, killing of Keith Joey Hayes.
The jury ultimately found him guilty of murder and robbery in his absence and sentenced him to life in prison without parole eligibility for 25 years.
He was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Service in San Diego County, California in late October.
Gentry is charged with tampering with a prisoner monitoring device in Christian County and District Judge Foster Cotthoff entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and appointed a public defender.
Gentry is now being held without bond, pending formal sentencing next month in Trigg County on the murder conviction.
A preliminary hearing for the local charge was scheduled for November 29 in Christian District Court.