Jury selection to begin in trial of man accused of raping, killing popular Arkansas TV anchor

Murder trial to begin in Ark. TV anchor’s death

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A man accused of killing a popular Arkansas television personality is going on trial.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in Little Rock in the trial of Curtis Lavelle Vance. He has pleaded not guilty to capital murder, rape and burglary.

KATV-Little Rock anchorwoman Anne Pressly was found brutally beaten in her bed in October 2008. She died days later without regaining consciousness.

Prosecutors say they plan to use DNA evidence and taped confessions from Vance.

Defense lawyers say police coerced Vance into providing a DNA sample before his arrest. Vance said he was confused by “police trickery.”

Vance is from Marianna, about 100 miles east of Little Rock. He could face the death penalty if convicted.