On Wednesday, Carlos A. Cardenas, 21, appeared in Orleans County Court and through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the indictment charging him with two counts of second-degree murder, causing a death in the course of committing another felony as well as first-and third-degree rape.
On February 18, the body of 15-year-old Katherine Sanchez was recovered in an apple orchard in Orleans County, New York. The girl had been missing for over a month.
Cardenas once worked in the orchard where the girl’s remains were unearthed. He allegedly strangled the girl in his bathroom before disposing of her body in the rural area.
According to Albion Police Chief Dean London, the Mexican national admitted to strangling the girl to death back on January 15. He was reportedly worried that she would tell her sister that he had raped her.
An autopsy confirmed the victim was suffocated.
Police said that they viewed Cardenas as a suspect from the day Sanchez disappeared, but did not announce it because of his illegal status and fear that he would flee to Mexico.
Chief London told reporters: “I want to emphasize the news of her disappearance was not circulated by law enforcement because the defendant, who has been the suspect since the matter was reported to us, was not in custody and our concern was that news of the victim’s disappearance would hinder our investigation.”
Sanchez was on her school’s volleyball and track teams, and was a member of the broadcasting club.
Cardenas is due back in court on May 9.
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