The only suspect in the 1986 murder of a Spokane woman was arraigned today on murder charges, two weeks after being extradited from Montana.

Gary L. Trimble, 62, pleaded not guilty to the Dec. 24, 1986, murder of Dorothy E. Burdette in Spokane County Superior Court this afternoon as more than a dozen of Burdette's family members looked on.

Trimble appeared via video from the Spokane County Jail with his public defender, Kari Reardon, and Deputy Prosecutor Jack Driscoll.

Trial is set to begin March 14 on charges of first-degree murder and second-degree murder, though Reardon said she likely will ask for a continuance.

Driscoll said he filed the second-degree murder charge as a precaution in case the first charge doesn't stick. Trimble was arrested in Montana in October after DNA he submitted for a felony conviction there was linked to

Burdette, who was 62 when she was found strangled to death in High Bridge Park.

Police have submitted Trimble's DNA to see if it matches DNA found on three other murder victims from 1986 and 1987.

He remains in Spokane County Jail on $1 million bond.

Past coverage:

Jan. 4: Suspect in 1986 murder headed back to Spokane

Nov. 2: Murder suspect fights return to Spokane

Oct. 25: Montana man arrested in '86 death of Spokane woman

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