Accused Temple Student Killer Pleads Not Guilty To Murder

PHILADELPHIA — The man accused of killing a 22-year-old Temple University student in August 2017 entered guilty and not guilty pleas to various charges in court on Tuesday.

Court records show Joshua Hupperterz, 29, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence charges in connection with the death of Temple student Jenna Burleigh of Montgomery County. Additionally, he pleaded not guilty to murder and possession of an instrument of crime.

Hupperterz's trial began Monday.

Hupperterz rejected a plea deal at his hearing on Dec. 3, opting to stand trial.

If he accepted the third-degree murder guilty plea, he would have faced 30 to 60 years in prison.

Now, if convicted, he faces life.

Hupperterz allegedly killed Burleigh in his North 16th Street home on Aug. 31 after meeting her at a bar near Temple University.

He is also accused of using a Lyft rideshare care to move Burleigh's body from Jenkintown, Montgomery County to Hawley, Wayne County where he hid her body on his grandmother's property.

Burleigh's cause of death was ruled blunt force trauma and strangulation.

Image via Philadelphia Police