Tellis charged in Monroe murder
Quinton Tellis will face charges in connection with the 2015 death of Meing-Chen Hsiao, a ULM graduate student.
Chris Bates, detective, confirmed MPD detectives have filed a warrant for first degree murder charges for Tellis.
Hsiao, a University of Louisiana at Monroe alumna, was found dead at her apartment in the 400 block of Filhiol Avenue on Aug. 8.
READ MORE: Accused killer pleads guilty on debit card charges
On May 12, Tellis pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized use of an access (debit) card in 4th Judicial District Court immediately before a jury trial was scheduled to begin Thursday morning on the charge and one count possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute.
Tellis' plea deal saw the possession with intent charge severed from the agreement but not dismissed. He could face that charge in the future.
As part of the deal, Tellis was charged as a habitual offender for the unauthorized use of a Chase Bank debit card belonging to murder victim Hsiao, 34.
The basis for the plea reported in court states that on Aug. 18-19, Tellis took an access card belonging to Hsiao and used it without authorization to withdraw at least $1,000.
Tellis also agreed to waive an extradition hearing and returned to Mississippi where is facing capital murder charges in connection with the December 2014 death of Jessica Chambers, 19.
Tellis was indicted on capital murder charges Feb. 24 by a Panola County grand jury in relation to Chambers’ death. She was discovered on the roadside with burns over 98 percent of her body. She later died in Courtland as a result of her injuries.
Assistant District Attorney Johnson said May's guilty verdict provided a safety net for the state of Mississippi as it goes forward.
In May, Johnson said it was possibly Tellis would be charged with murder for Hsiao's death.
He said the testimony of one witness during pretrial hearings would serve to strengthen a second-degree murder charge. Witness Eric Hill said Tellis told him about a credit card robbery where someone was stabbed.
Monroe Police Department Detective Duane Cookson said during his testimony Hsiao suffered multiple stab wounds, defensive wounds and slicing wounds in the upper back.