A Santa Cruz man made his first court appearance Tuesday to face charges he killed his girlfriend during a vacation in Hawaii earlier this month.
Gerald Galaway pleaded not guilty to charges of second degree murder, first degree attempted sexual assault and kidnapping of Celestial Cassman, also of Santa Cruz.
Cassman's body was found at the base of a cliff after a woman reported seeing her being attacked by Galaway and ran for help back on Sept. 1.
When police arrived on the scene, they said Galawaw jumped off a 100-foot cliff into the ocean. It took until the following morning to capture him and it took two weeks in a Maui hospital before he was physically well enough to face criminal charges.
In his mug shot, which was released Monday, Galaway was wearing a body brace.
"He's wearing a brace he was given by the hospital to assist him standing because of possible injuries to his back," Maui police Lt. Wayne Ibarra told KSBW.
A 51-page report (warning graphic details) lists the criminal case against the Galaway who worked with disabled children at his job in Aptos.
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Cassman was a well known and well liked lawyer in Santa Cruz.
Galaway's neighbors told KSBW in Salinas they had heard him yelling at Cassman at times while she visited his home.
On Tuesday, the judge set a jury trial date of Dec. 5. Galaway is being held without bail.
An autopsy determined Cassman died of asphyxiation.
