Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Taekwondo Teacher Held Without Bail in Colleague’s Slaying : Crime: The man faces allegations of lying in wait and sexual assault, which could bring the death penalty.

A martial arts instructor charged with murder in the Dec. 15 slaying of a fellow teacher was held without bail after turning himself in at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Wednesday morning.

Stuart Edward Milburn, 27, of Pasadena was arraigned in Newhall Municipal Court under the watchful eyes of Theresa and Robert Estrada--siblings of Veronica Estrada, a 29-year-old nationally ranked black belt Taekwondo instructor whom he is accused of strangling.

“We wanted to make sure he shows up,” said Theresa Estrada. “We wanted to make sure he doesn’t get bail.”

Authorities accuse Milburn of committing murder after lying in wait and while sexually assaulting the victim. Both are special circumstances that allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty.

Wearing a gray blazer, white dress shirt and dark blue-gray slacks, Milburn appeared in court about 9:30 a.m., an hour after presenting himself at the sheriff’s station.

Judge H. Keith Byram set no bail for Milburn and scheduled a preliminary hearing for March 22.

Darryl Mounger, Milburn’s lawyer, said his client has helped law enforcement personnel in their investigation. Mounger said the evidence against Milburn is largely circumstantial.

“In this particular case, Mr. Milburn has been under investigation for more than a month and has not fled,” said Mounger, who hopes to eventually have a bail amount set for his client. “He has cooperated with every step of the investigation.”

Prosecutors acknowledge that Milburn has been cooperative, but say that he may have greater incentive to flee now that he faces a possible death penalty.

“All of the things counsel has said are basically true,” Assistant Dist. Atty. Dan Damon said. “(But) there is certainly a flight risk here because of the severity of the charges.”

Milburn and Veronica Estrada worked together at Taekwondo USA in Canyon Country at the time of her death.

She was last seen walking along Soledad Canyon Road, near Camp Plenty Road, about 8:15 p.m. Dec. 15.

Three witnesses said they saw people matching the descriptions of Milburn and Estrada along the road at that time. One witness said she saw the woman being pulled off the street over an embankment, said Sgt. Doran Riggs of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

Investigators are still seeking witnesses who were near Soledad Canyon and Camp Plenty roads between 8 and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 15.

“They may have something we’re looking for,” said Riggs. “Each of them has another part of the story.”