MONROE, La. (AP) – Charged in the burning death of north Mississippi teenager Jessica Chambers, Quinton Tellis goes on trial Monday on charges connected to another woman’s death in northern Louisiana.
Tellis faces trial in Monroe for using a debit card belonging to Meing-Chen Hsiao. The former Taiwanese exchange student was stabbed to death in her apartment in August.
Although Monroe police named Tellis a suspect, he’s not charged with killing Hsiao.
Ouachita Parish Assistant District Attorney Neal Johnson says lawyers will argue Monday over pretrial motions. The defense wants to exclude evidence of Hsiao’s homicide, while prosecutors want to introduce evidence of previous drug transactions.
Tellis could get a life sentence in Louisiana because of previous felony convictions in Mississippi. He’s expected to face trial for Chambers’ death in Mississippi later.
