A suspect charged with murder in a case in which the victim’s head, hands and feet were found near the Hollywood Sign pleaded not guilty on Monday and is being held on $1 million bail.

The suspect, Gabriel Campos-Martinez, 38, was arrested on March 9 in San Antonio, Texas, where he had reportedly relocated in late 2012. Los Angeles Police Department detectives spent more than two years gathering evidence in the case. They flew to Texas in early March to arrest Campos-Martinez, who was the former roommate of the victim, Hervey Coronado Medellin, 66. The defendant was returned to Los Angeles last Friday following extradition proceedings in Texas.

Campos-Martinez has been described as the victim’s boyfriend, and they shared an apartment in a building at 6238 DeLongpre Ave. in Hollywood, according to Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace, with the Major Crimes Unit. Campos-Martinez reported Medellin missing on Jan. 9, 2012, and allegedly told police at the time that Medellin had left the apartment on Dec. 26, 2011. The suspect also allegedly told police that Medellin had traveled to Mexico and that he had been in contact with the victim approximately five days before he reported him missing. Grace said authorities believe Campos-Martinez killed Medellin on Dec. 27, 2011.

Two women walking their dogs on Jan. 17, 2012, in the 3200 block of Canyon Drive in the Hollywood Hills, discovered a bag that contained the victim’s head. The victim’s hands and feet were later located by police nearby in a shallow grave.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office determined Medellin died of asphyxiation. Grace said they found signs that the victim had been strangled. Police have not located the rest of the victim’s remains, Grace added.

Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, said Campos-Martinez is next scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on April 16 at 8:30 a.m. in Dept. 30 in the downtown Foltz Criminal Justice Center.