26-year old Matthew Charles Tornquist pleaded not guilty Thursday morning to murdering his mother in October of last year.

  Tornquist was arraigned in Seventh Circuit Court on alternative counts of first and second degree murder along with one count of grand theft, suspected of stealing more than $1,000 in cash.  He pleaded not guilty to all of those charges.  Tornquist is accused of murdering his mother, Catherine Tornquist, at her home in Fall River County on October 4, 2011.  She was reported missing last October and her remains have never been found.  If convicted of either of the murder charges, Tornquist would receive a mandatory life sentence, with the possibility of the death penalty for a conviction of first degree murder.  Tornquist's next court appearance in scheduled for August 15th in Hot Springs.  

Jack Caudill