Death penalty decision for man accused of killing UNCC professor delayed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The man accused of killing a beloved UNC Charlotte psychology professor faced a judge Thursday.

[RELATED: Boyfriend accused of killing UNCC professor denies charges against him]

Donny Franklin is accused of killing Dr. Jeannine Skinner in September. In court Thursday, he was assigned new attorneys but the decision on whether he'll face the death penalty was delayed.

As the case moves forward, there are still many unanswered questions.

[READ MORE: Colleague says homicide victim was a rising professor at UNCC]

Investigators still have not said what drove Franklin to take Skinner's life, but police have said that the two had been dating.

During Franklin’s first appearance in court last month, he showed little emotion when the judge explained the first-degree murder charge for which he could face the death penalty.

Police found Skinner’s body at the Lofts Apartments in Ayrsley after a welfare check on Sept. 1.

Detectives believe the pair had only been dating for a few weeks before the murder.

Franklin is still being held at the Mecklenburg County Jail.

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