BOSTON, March 15, 2018—The man accused of stabbing 40-year-old Brian Sweeney to death and sexually assaulting him was ordered back to Bridgewater State Hospital today following his arraignment in Suffolk Superior Court, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

NATHURLON MUNNERLYN, 39, of West Roxbury was indicted last week on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated rape for the Nov. 19 attack that claimed Sweeney’s life in the victim’s Temple Street home. He has been held without bail at Bridgewater since his Nov. 22 arrest and subsequent arraignment in West Roxbury Municipal Court; the indictments move his case to Superior Court, where it will be adjudicated.

Assistant District Attorney David Bradley told the court that Sweeney was found deceased in his home on the morning of Nov. 19. He had been stabbed and sexually assaulted.

Boston Police investigators recovered Sweeney’s phone at the scene and found a record of an incoming call from Munnerlyn at about 3:00 am. When detectives went to interview the defendant, he allegedly told them in a post-Miranda statement that he had stabbed Sweeney. Bradley told the court that Munnerlyn made admissions regarding a sexual assault and gave a description of the number and location of stab wounds consistent with the victim’s injuries. Investigators took Munnerlyn into custody and executed a search warrant on his residence, recovering bloodstained clothing and shoes.

Judge Robert Tochka ordered Munnerlyn to return to court on April 3. The defendant is represented by attorney Timothy Bradl.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.