El Cajon

A UC San Diego medical student pleaded innocent to murder Thursday in the strangulation of his wife.

The body of Maria Elizabeth Richardson, 30, was found Tuesday by a co-worker at the medical laboratory where she worked, El Cajon police said.

Her husband, Charlie Arthur Richardson, also 30, was arrested that night after being interviewed by police, Lt. Bob Lein said.

Lein declined to elaborate on the evidence that led police to charge Richardson but said, “We had developed some leads which started focusing on him.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lori Rooney said that Richardson took out a $100,000 life insurance policy on his wife four months ago and that the couple had had marital problems.

At Thursday’s arraignment, San Diego Municipal Judge Patricia Cowett set bail at $200,000. A bail review was scheduled for Tuesday and a preliminary hearing for Jan. 6.

Police said Charles Richardson is in his last year at medical school. His wife managed the El Cajon Group Laboratory, a private lab that is attached to a family medical practice at 237 W. Washington Ave., police said.