Accused North Andover Murderer Back In California Court

NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- Brian Chevalier, the 51-year-old Merrimack, NH man fighting extradition from California to face murder charges in Massachusetts, was scheduled to appear in an Imperial County, CA courtroom Monday for a pre-trial conference. Chevalier is facing fugitive from justice charges in California after being apprehended in Mexico by U.S. Marshal's on April 25.

A spokeswoman for the Imperial County District Attorney's office had no updates on Chevalier appeaance late Monday afternoon. On April 30, Chavelier refused to wave extradition proceedings, prompting the Essex County District Attorney's office to seek a Governor's warrant so he can face charges in the April 21 murder of his ex-fiance, 49-year-old Wendi Davidson of North Andover.

Steve O'Connell, a spokesman for the Essex County DA, said Monday morning no updates were available on the extradition proceedings and that the indictment in Davidson's murder remains sealed.

Chevalier was paroled in December after serving 14 years of a 10- to 33-year sentence in a 2004 conviction of kidnapping, despite protests by the victim in that 2003 crime. He and Davidson started dating shortly after he was paroled and were engaged in February. In late March, Davidson broke off the engagement. On April 21, police responded to Davidson's home at 50 Lincoln Street in North Andover after her body was discovered in the basement. Investigators say Davidson was strangled.

More on this story:

• 2003 Victim: Prosecutors Partly At Fault In North Andover Murder (5/3/2018)
• Victim Offered Harrowing Account Of Night With Accused Killer(5/2/2018)
• Meet The Men Who Tried To Free The Accused North Andover Killer (5/1/2018)
• Accused Killer Still On West Coast, DA Seeks Gov.'s Warrant(4/30/2018)
• Accused Killer's Record Of Violence Against Women Started In 1990 (4/29/2018)
• North Andover Victim Met Alleged Killer On Dating Site(4/28/2018)
• Ex-Fiance Charged With North Andover Woman's Murder(4/27/2018)
• Murder Victim's Fiance Kidnapped Ex-Girlfriend In 2003(4/24/2018)
• North Andover Murder Victim Was "Kind, Caring" (4/23/2018)
• North Andover Homicide Victim Was Strangled (4/22/2018)
• Police Investigating Homicide In North Andover (4/21/2018)

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Photo by Imperial County CA Sheriff.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).