Soto pleads not guilty, denied bond

Vincente Soto, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charge of capital murder and was denied bond at his January arraignment.

He is back in the Franklin County Jail waiting for his trial date to be set.

According to district attorney Joey Rushing, the judge ruled in favor of the DA’s plea that Soto not receive bond because of being a major flight risk.

“He has no reason to stay in Franklin County or return to court. He fled to another country when the murder happened, and he’s not an American citizen,” Rushing said.

Judge Terry Dempsey agreed, and Soto will remain in jail until the case is resolved.

Soto was charged with capital murder and taken into custody Nov. 9, 2017, 11 years after the crime of which he is accused. Authorities found him working in a bakery outside of Mexico City, and after a long extradition process, he was returned to Franklin County, where he was charged with murdering Dionicio Bahena 11 years ago in Russellville.

Bahena was shot multiple times outside of Greg’s Trailer Park on Franklin County Road 48 and died later that day. According to investigators, Soto had accused Bahena of having relations with Soto’s girlfriend. After the incident, Soto fled to Mexico and landed on the most wanted list twice.

Rushing said a trial date should be set within the next month or two.