A Howard County District Court judge denied bail Monday to a former Columbia resident, recently extradited from Mexico, who is charged in the 2005 murder of a West Friendship man.

Joel Nunez Valles, 36, formerly of Columbia, is charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, among other charges, in the killing of West Friendship resident Abolinar Avila in 2005, according to court records.

Avila’s body was discovered in his residence, in the 13000 block of Frederick Road in West Friendship, on Oct. 19, 2005, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State’s Attorney Dario Broccolino. An autopsy revealed that Avila, 51, died as a result of stab wounds, according to Kirwan.

Within 48 hours of the homicide, Valles received help from family and friends in the area and fled to Chihuahua, Mexico, according to Kirwan. Valles was extradited to Maryland Sunday after the U.S. Department of Justice determined that he was being held in a Mexican jail on an unrelated charge, according to Kirwan.

Valles faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery, robbery, theft and reckless endangerment.

At a hearing Monday, District Court Judge Mary Reese denied bail to Valles, who is being held at the Howard County Detention Center, according to Kirwan.

No court dates had been set as of Tuesday, according to Kirwan.

— Mike Santa Rita

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