CELINA - A man charged with murder in the slaying of a Rockford woman entered a not guilty plea Friday.
Daniel C. Martin, 40, was in a Mercer County courtroom for his arraignment. He is being held without bond. His next court hearing is a pretrial scheduled for Feb. 7.
Martin is charged in the Nov. 8 slaying of 26-year-old Melinda S. Shinn. She was shot and killed inside her Rockford home at 509 North St., while her 9-year-old son was inside the home.
Martin reportedly was Shinn’s live-in boyfriend. He ran away from the house following the shooting.
Martin quickly became a suspect in Shinn’s death. It took authorities nearly two months to track him to a home in Fort Wayne, Ind. He was taken into custody without putting up a fight.
