Jury indicts suspect in 1993 slaying

A North Dakota man has been indicted on murder charges in the death of a Minnesota woman 16 years ago.

Forty-four-year-old Clarence Burcham of Center was arrested in June. He is accused in the death of 26-year-old Sharon Stafford at her Moorhead mobile home in November 1993. Authorities said she had been beaten and raped. Burcham and Stafford were neighbors at the time.

A district court grand jury in Minnesota's Clay County indicted Burcham late Wednesday after meeting for more than two days. A first-degree murder charge alleges Burcham caused Stafford's death while committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault with force or violence. A second-degree murder charge says he intentionally caused Stafford's death but without premeditation.

Judge Lisa Borgen continued conditions for release at $1 million bond or $250,000 cash bail.

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Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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