Alexandria Chery Update: Sanel Saint Simon Rejects Plea Deal, Could Face Death Penalty

Sanel Saint Simon, the man accused of killing Florida teen Alexandria Chery last summer, rejected a plea deal Aug. 10, the Orlando Sentinel reported. If he had accepted the deal, Saint Simon, 44, would have faced life in prison. Now, he could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder for the 16-year-old girl's death.

"The state will pursue the death penalty,” state attorney's spokeswoman Angela Starke said. "With the rejection of the plea, he will face a jury trial."

Saint Simon has pleaded not guilty.

Alexandria vanished from her family’s home in Orange County on July 28, 2014. When she was found she had stab wounds and skull fractures, the autopsy showed. Police said Saint Simon beat her to death and then tried to hide her body in a wooded area, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

When police started their search for Alexandria, Saint Simon lied to police officers and tried to clean the blood from the apartment where he allegedly beat her and the car in which he reportedly transported her body, investigators said.

Saint Simon is charged with giving false information to law enforcement during a missing person investigation and aggravated child abuse, in addition to first-degree murder. His trial is set for March, court records showed.

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