By Dave Hutchinson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 02, 2015 at 3:04 PM, updated April 02, 2015 at 5:33 PM

SOMERVILLE - A Somerville man who, authorities say, slashed his girlfriend's throat and left her to die in the apartment they shared pleaded not guilty at his arraignment hearing Thursday morning.

Oscar Barrantes-Sequeira, 33, was indicted on Feb. 26 in the murder of Sarah Ross-Salardino, 47, which authorities say happened just before midnight Nov. 8 after a verbal altercation. He was also indicted on charges of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and third-degree theft.

Somerset County assistant prosecutor Robin Yerich offered Barrantes-Sequeira a plea deal of life in prison with 85 percent (or 66 3/4 years) served before being eligible for parole. Barrantes-Sequeira rejected the offer, which is essentially the maximum he would get if found guilty by a jury trial, Yerich said.

Public defender Matt Katzenbach told the judge that the defense has questions about DNA evidence recovered by authorities and Barranates-Sequeira's alleged confession to police when he was arrested.

According to Katzenbach, Ross-Salardino was found naked in her apartment, and authorities recovered DNA evidence from a possible sexual assault or defensive wounds.

Katzenbach also said he's questioning the admissibly of Barranates-Sequeira's confession and whether he was read and understood his Miranda Rights.

A Miranda Rights hearing, Katzenbach said, may be necessary because Barranates-Sequeira, who is a citizen of Costa Rica in this country illegally, speaks only Spanish.

At Barranates-Sequeira's bail hearing on Nov. 17, assistant prosecutor Robert Hawkes said Barrantes-Sequeira showed "no remorse or feelings whatsoever" after slashing Ross-Salardino's throat.

Barrantes-Sequeira is currently being held in Somerset County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

Around midnight on Nov. 8, 2014, police responded to the upstairs-right apartment at the East Main Street apartment rented by Ross-Salardino for a welfare check, according to an affidavit filed in Somerset County Superior Court. Upon arrival, police found Ross-Salardino dead in the bedroom, the affidavit states.

Authorities have not said what the fight between the couple had been over, nor have they released a motive for the homicide.

Barrantes-Sequeira was arrested by Green Brook police in the early-morning hours on Nov. 9 after he was pulled over in Ross-Salardino's car for allegedly driving while intoxicated, the affidavit states.

It was during this arrest, the affadvit states, that Barrantes-Sequeira confessed to the murder.

Later, Barrantes-Sequeira was turned over to the Somerville police for five outstanding contempt of court warrants, the affidavit states.

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