Terrance Black's Wednesday morning arraignment hearing lasted less than 30 seconds and ended with him remaining in the Collin County jail on $1 million bond.
Black, 48, faces a capital murder charge in the slaying of Susan Loper, a Collin County fitness instructor whose body was found in a field off the Dallas North Tollway on April 20.
He was arrested in Arizona after he jumped into the Grand Canyon to evade park rangers two days after her body was discovered.
Black, who was treated in Arizona for injuries related to the fall, refused extradition from Arizona in late May.
He was released from a Flagstaff, Ariz., jail Tuesday morning to the Texas Department of Safety. He was flown back to Texas and booked into the Collin County jail at about 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Another extradition hearing scheduled for Tuesday was canceled after a special warrant for his return to Texas was issued.
The Texas Attorney's General office issued a governor's warrant for Black last week, which supersedes a defendant's right to an extradition hearing.
"There's a part of me that thinks we should celebrate because it's been a long road, but then there's that sick, disgusting feeling that he's that much closer to us," said Julie Mitchell, Loper's best friend.
She said she has fielded tough questions in the past two months from Loper's 8-year-old son about his mother's death.
"It was just the two of us having dinner the other night, and he asked me how many days it's been since mommy died," Mitchell said.
But she said she has a chance to get some answers now that Black is back in North Texas.
"Part of me thinks I'll lose it and punch him in the face," she said. "The only real question I have is, 'Why?'"
Loper disappeared from the Plano country club where she taught on April 19. Her body was found the next day.
Police say Black was suspected in her death early in the investigation.
He is charged with capital murder and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
NBC DFW's Ellen Goldberg and Frank Heinz contributed to this report.
Previous Coverage:
- Loper Slaying Suspect Appears in Court
- Slain Fitness Instructor's Pilates Studio to Open
- Loper Felt Black Was "Stalking Her" in 2008
- Murder Suspect Fights Extradition To Texas
- Man Charged in Loper Murder Released From Hospital
- Detectives Describe Loper's Injuries as "Overkill"
- Black Suspected Early in Loper Investigation
- Suspect Arrested in Loper's Slaying
- Investigators Remain Tight-Lipped on Loper Case
- Body ID'd as Missing Fitness Instructor
- Police Suspect Foul Play in Plano Woman's Disappearance
