CONEJOS — First appearance in district court is slated at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15 for Michael John Robinson, 32.

Robinson faces seven counts in connection with the suspected murder and dismemberment of his step-grandfather, James H. Sprouse, 77, sometime between June 3 and 12, 2016.

He is charged with murder in the first degree, two sentence enhancements regarding a crime of violence, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, aggravated motor vehicle theft in the first degree and concealing death.

Class 1 felony first-degree murder is based on the charge that he allegedly intended to cause the death of a person other than himself.

The crime of violence charges accuse Robinson of using an unknown bludgeon during the commission of several criminal activities relating to Sprouse, causing serious bodily injury to the elderly man.

He also allegedly feloniously destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed or altered physical evidence and treated the remains of Sprouse in a way that would outrage normal family sensibilities.

The elderly man’s dismembered body was found sealed in a freezer on April 18, 2017.

A closed family business/residence was investigated as the murder scene.

Sprouse had been reported missing on June 6, 2016 and again on March 10, 2017.

Robinson allegedly took the older man’s Ford Explorer out of Colorado without his permission and in violation of state law.

The vehicle was found abandoned June 17, 2016, in San Diego, Calif. and Robinson’s birth certificate was found there, along with ATM receipts showing withdrawals from Sprouse’s bank accounts. Robinson was arrested nearby almost a year later.

Andrade to appear

Francisco Andrade Jr., 26, Manassa, will make his first appearance at 2 p.m. Feb. 15 on four felony counts relating to sexual assault on a child.

He waived preliminary hearing sexual assault on a child, a Class Four Felony, sexual assault on a child, pattern of abuse, a Class Three Felony, sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, child under 15 and part of a pattern of abuse, as Class Three Felony and incest, a Class 4 Felony.

Andrade chose to go directly into District Court.