Arizona

Nurse Charged with Murder for Allegedly Helping Man End His Life

Kristie Jane Sokalski's body was found in a room at a Mission Viejo hotel on April 6, 2018.

A 58-year-old registered nurse accused of helping a heartbroken man end his life in California pleaded not guilty Monday to a murder charge.

Kristie Jane Koepplin of Peoria, Arizona, is accused of injecting a lethal dose of drugs into 57-year-old Matthew Peter Sokalski of San Clemente, California, who was reportedly crestfallen from a break-up and allegedly asked her to help him die, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Sokalski's body was found in a room at a Mission Viejo hotel on April 6, 2018.

Koepplin, who was arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona, on Oct. 15, posted $1 million bail Monday and was released from custody. Her next court date is a Jan. 7 pretrial hearing at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.

Her attorney, Michael Guisti, said his client is "innocent."

Guisti added, "Their case rests ultimately on inferences made by what they found in the room. They have no substantial evidence linking my client to the victim's death. We're fighting vigorously because my client is innocent."

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