UPDATE FEB. 19: Christopher Prestipino, the man accused of killing 24-year-old Esmeralda Gonzalez, had his bail revoked in court on Wednesday.
His petition for writ of habeas corpus -- which is used to determine if a person's imprisonment or detention is lawful -- was denied by the judge.
The state argued Prestipino violated the conditions of his bail and did not previously appear to court, and that he appears to not be taking the court's orders seriously.
An attorney representing Prestipino said when he missed his court date it was not on purpose and that Prestipino has been in jail a long time.
Prestipino is charged with four counts, including murder and first degree kidnapping.
His trial is set for April 20.
LAS VEGAS (KTNV)
The man accused of killing 24-year-old Esmeralda Gonzalez failed to show up in a Las Vegas courtroom on Thursday morning.
Gonzalez was reported missing by her brother on May 31. An anonymous caller told police on July 18 that 46-year-old Christopher Prestipino and a woman named Cassandra Garrett killed Gonzalez.
Her body was found in a concrete and wooden structure in the desert north of Las Vegas on Oct. 8.
RELATED: Police believe missing woman strangled to death, injected with poison
Prestipino was then indicted by a grand jury.
Prestipino was arrested on Oct. 11 and his bail was set at $500,000 on Oct. 22, 2019.
He was expected in court this morning for a bail hearing because prosecutors and police are concerned that he will skip bail.
After he failed to show, an arrest warrant was issued. Shortly after, he was arrested.
Prestipino's girlfriend Lisa Mort and his friend Cassandra Garrett have also been charged in the case and are awaiting trial.
