Man charged with killing college student denies harming her

PHILADELPHIA – A Pennsylvania man charged with killing a Temple University student is denying the allegation.

The attorney for 29-year-old Joshua Hupperterz said outside court Wednesday that Hupperterz tells him he “didn’t cause any harm” to Jenna Burleigh.

Burleigh’s body was found early this month on property belonging to the defendant’s grandmother. The property is located about 140 miles (225 kilometres) north of the Philadelphia college’s campus.

The 22-year-old Burleigh vanished at the end of August. She was last seen on surveillance video leaving a bar near campus with Hupperterz, a former Temple student. She had just started at Temple as a junior transfer student.

Hupperterz was due in court for a preliminary hearing, but the case was continued until late November.

A coroner found Burleigh died of blunt trauma and strangulation.