BANGOR — The local man who police say told investigators that he bound and raped, then killed his ex-girlfriend in November pleaded not guilty Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to one count each of kidnapping, gross sexual assault and intentional or knowing murder.

Zackery Mailloux, 21, of Bangor was indicted Nov. 27 by a Penobscot County grand jury in connection with the Nov. 18 strangulation death of Brooke Locke, 21, of Auburn in the Essex Street apartment they shared.

Superior Court Justice William Anderson ordered that Mailloux continue to be held without bail. He has been held without bail at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham since his arrest Nov. 18.

The judge also ordered that Mailloux undergo a psychological evaluation to determine whether he’s competent to stand trial and suffers from any mental illnesses. He does not have a history of mental problems.

Mailloux told police that he suspected Locke, a student at Husson University, was seeing another man. Sometime after 7 a.m. Nov. 18, he discovered a text message on Locke’s phone that he said confirmed his suspicion, according to the court affidavit written by Bangor police Detective Tim Cotton.

Mailloux and Locke argued and he “manually strangled (her) to the point that he thought she was deceased,” according to the affidavit. “After a short time, Locke began to regain consciousness.”

He then bound Locke with wire cord and duct tape “for the entire morning,” the court document said. “During this incident, Locke admitted that she had been in another relationship.”

Locke had earlier told a sorority sister that she and Mailloux had broken up, according to a previous report.

Mailloux also told police that he had sexual intercourse with Locke while she was bound.

After another argument, Mailloux said he used a necktie to strangle Locke until she no longer resisted.

Cotton said Mailloux was “extremely calm and showed no emotion” when police arrived at the apartment.

If convicted, Mailloux faces between 25 years and life in prison on the murder charge. Under Maine law, Mailloux would qualify for a life sentence if it is proven that he kidnapped and raped Locke as part of a scheme to kill her.

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