A Casper man on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection to a woman's stabbing death in November.

Anthony Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, felony murder and domestic violence in Natrona County District Court. He was initially charged with second-degree murder, but prosecutors upped those charges after reviewing additional evidence.

Both felony and first-degree murder carry with them mandatory life sentences. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty in this case.

Prosecutors bring felony murder charges when someone dies during the commission of certain felonies.

Charging documents allege that Rodriguez was committing or attempting to commit sexual assault when he stabbed 54-year-old Mary Margaret Fogle to death inside her home at 1200 S. Conwell the afternoon of November 17.

Fogle's daughter, Alison Cecile Solis, was charged as an accessory to the alleged crime, but those charges were dismissed July 8.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Rodriguez turned himself into law enforcement authorities in Colorado following the killing. An investigator with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office notified the Casper Police Department. Later, a Casper police officer went to Fogle's home to conduct a welfare check.

The officer reportedly looked through the front windows and saw drops of dried blood on the living room floor. A relative provided officers with a key, but police had to force entry into the home because the key didn't work.

Once inside, they found Fogle's body in the hallway.

Homicide investigators in Colorado interviewed Rodriguez, who allegedly admitted that he stabbed Fogle in the neck. He reportedly told investigators that he and Solis were at Fogle's home and, after the killing, they packed up Fogle's red 2006 Honda CRV with their personal belongings, Fogle's dog and Fogle's purse, then drove to Colorado.

Solis reportedly told investigators that Rodriguez had hit her during the drive to Colorado following the killing.

She also told investigators that Fogle was her only family.

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