Kevin and Glenda Thurber watch as their son, Justin, is escorted from the Cowley County courtroom by sheriff's deputies after his preliminary hearing Thursday in Winfield. Justin Thurber is charged with capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, rape and aggravated criminal sodomy in the abduction and killing of Jodi Sanderholm, 19, of Arkansas City.

Winfield ? Attorney General Paul Morrison said Thursday he would likely seek the death penalty against an Arkansas City man charged in the kidnapping and killing of a Cowley County Community College student.

Justin Thurber, 24, was bound over for trial in the January death of Jodi Sanderholm. He is accused of abducting her, forcing her to have sex and then beating and strangling her.

Thurber, who is charged with capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, rape and aggravated criminal sodomy, has not entered a plea. He remained jailed on $1 million bond.

Thurber’s defense lawyer, Tim Frieden, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Sanderholm, 19, of Arkansas City, was last seen Jan. 5 at a Subway restaurant. Her car was found in a lake Jan. 9, and her body was discovered about eight miles away.

Prosecutors, led by Morrison, called 18 witnesses during a seven-hour session of a preliminary hearing Wednesday in an attempt to convince Cowley County District Judge Jim Pringle that there was enough evidence to order Thurber to stand trial for capital murder.

Morrison has alleged that Thurber kidnapped Sanderholm after following her from dance practice and drove her to a rural part of southeast Cowley County, where he raped and murdered her. She died of blunt force trauma and strangulation.

Morrison contends Thurber then disposed of Sanderholm’s car in the Cowley County State Fishing Lake, an 84-acre lake on U.S. 166, which is about 15 miles east of Arkansas City.

Thurber sat silently during the testimony, which ended Thursday after nearly a day-and-a-half of testimony. His arraignment was scheduled for July 9. Morrison said he expects to file notice on that date that he would seek the death penalty.

Sanderholm was a Cowley College student and dancer at Ark City Dance when she disappeared Jan. 5. Her body and car were discovered four days later at Cowley State Fishing Lake. One flip-flop, two dance shoes, shorts and a Cowley County dance jacket with Jodi’s name on it were also found in a trash can at the lake.

Her body was found in a wooded area about 200 yards from the river. The site was about 11 miles from her car, which was pulled from Cowley State Fishing Lake.