SKOWHEGAN — A New Portland man pleaded not guilty Friday to a charge of murder in connection with the death of his former employer, Louise Brochu, in 2007 at her residence and flooring business on Route 27 in New Portland.

Jeffrey LaGasse, 31, is being held without bail pending a bail hearing most likely to occur in January 2010, Maine Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson said. That hearing is to ask Justice John Nivison to not allow LaGasse’s a right to bail.

LaGasse has been in jail since November 2007 on an unrelated probation revocation pertaining to burglary and theft among other charges, and is not expected to be released until mid-January, Benson said.

LaGasse was indicted by a Somerset County grand jury on Sept. 18 on a charge of murder. The indictment states that LaGasse intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Brochu, or engaged in conduct that manifested a depraved indifference to the value of human life and which in fact caused the death of Brochu.

At the time of the killing, LaGasse lived in an apartment less than a mile from the crime scene. He said he once worked for her, according to a published report.

The 50-year-old woman’s body was found outside New Portland Wood Flooring on June 8, 2007.

LaGasse appeared in Somerset County Superior Court in Skowhegan on Friday accompanied by attorneys Frank Griffin and John Alsop, Benson said. The latter was standing in for Jason Jabar, Benson said. Both Jabar and Griffin are court-appointed attorneys for the case.

Jabar said he hasn’t had a chance to review all the information on the case.

“I know that he’s adamantly denied that he committed the crime,” Jabar said Friday afternoon. “I look forward to defending the case.”

LaGasse was taken back to Maine State Prison in Warren after the arraignment.

LaGasse was questioned by police early in the case.

“This has never been a cold case,” Benson said. It has been investigated on an ongoing basis since Brochu’s death. “Finally, we thought we have sufficient evidence to charge LaGasse in the case,” Benson said.

The Brochu family has offered a $20,000 reward since late 2007 for the conviction of the person responsible for Louise Brochu’s death.

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