ST. FRANCISVILLE — A former St. Francisville Police officer pleaded not guilty Monday after being charged in connection with a 2022 overdose death.

Richard Parsons Jr. is accused of killing Renee Hinze, whose body was found in a bathtub at a St. Francisville hotel in March 2022. 

With Hinze's family present, Parsons appeared in court on Monday for an arraignment on malfeasance in office and negligent homicide charges connected to Hinze's death

Hinze's death was originally investigated as an accidental overdose, but new evidence came to light the second time her toxicology results were analyzed. One or two days before her death, Hinze was allegedly riding around in Parsons' marked police unit, which is a violation of St. Francisville Police Department policy.

In April, the WBRZ Investigative Unit reported that Parsons turned himself in to the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office on negligent homicide charges and was released on a $150,000 bond.