FITCHBURG, Mass., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts man has pleaded not guilty to killing his 27-year-old wife and stuffing her body in a suitcase, court records said.
Asim Amran, 30, of Fitchburg was arraigned Friday in District Court on a charge of murder in the death of Faiza Malik, who was last seen alive Dec. 29, The Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette reported Saturday. Amran was ordered held without bail pending a Sept. 24 court appearance.
Police Thursday found Malik's decomposed body Thursday in a suitcase in Oxford, off Interstate 395, after an acquaintance of Amran's allegedly told them he had accompanied Amran to the area to check on the remains, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early said in a statement.
An autopsy was to be conducted to determine the cause of death, Early said.
Malik had moved to Fitchburg several years ago from Pakistan for an arranged marriage with Amran, authorities said. The couple's 3-year-old son has been placed in state care.
