Friday, June 25, 2021 | 12:42 p.m.
A teenage girl and her boyfriend have pleaded not guilty in Las Vegas to charges they stabbed her father to death after he forbid them from dating.
The teens entered their pleas during an arraignment in Clark County District Court on Friday morning. They face multiple charges including murder, arson and robbery.
Under Nevada law, a juvenile accused of murder is automatically charged as an adult.
Prosecutors say 16-year-old Sierra Halseth and 18-year-old boyfriend Aaron Guerrero stabbed 45-year-old Daniel Halseth at his home. They then tried to dismember and burn his body, which was found in his garage April 9.
The couple were found and arrested four days later in Salt Lake City.
An autopsy report shows Halseth had been stabbed at least 70 times, some inflicted post-mortem.
The judge set a trial date in December.
Prosecutors have said they will not pursue the death penalty for Guerrero.
The victim was the ex-husband of former Nevada state senator Elizabeth Halseth. She has since remarried and goes by Elizabeth Helgelien.
