Man accused of killing Tess Richey appears in court

A man accused of killing a young woman who went missing in Toronto's gay village last year appeared in court on Monday.

Kalen Schlatter, 22, has beencharged with first-degree murder in the November 2017 death of Tess Richey.

Schlatter, wearing a blue suit with a white shirt,showed no emotion during the brief appearanceonMonday morning.

After a short recess, a judicial pre-trial was set for Jan. 17.

Richey, 22, was reported missing on Nov. 25 after she spent a night out with a friend in the area of Church and Wellesleystreets.

Her mother, whotravelled from the family's home in North Bay, Ont., to search for her daughter, found Richey's body four days later in an outdoor stairwell. The area where herbody was found was onlysteps away from where Richeywas last seen.

Police have said Richey died of "neck compression."

Schlatter was initially charged with second-degree murder in February,but the charge was upgradedto first-degree murder in March when police said they found new evidence.

Schlatterwas denied bail in the case in August.

According to police,Richey and Schlatter did not know each other beforethe night she disappeared. They said Richey met Schlatter on the street after she and her friend left a bar.

Investigators also have said surveillance videoshows Schlatter and Richey together near the areawhere her body was found by her mother.

Police faced criticism for their failure to find Richey after her disappearance.

In June, two officers were charged with misconduct under the Police Services Act in connection with the case.