HOUSTON — New details were revealed in court on Tuesday in the case of a 21-year-old Nepali college student who was killed this summer.
Muna Pandey was found shot to death at her southwest-side apartment on Aug. 24. She moved to Houston to go to college.
Bobby Singh Shah is charged with capital murder in connection with Pandey's death. He made an appearance in court on Tuesday for a bond review.
"It is extremely high. Mr. Shah is indigent. He does not have the funds to make a $1 million bond," attorney Wilvin Carter said.
His attorney asked for his $1 million bond to be cut in half but a judge ruled to keep it the same.
During the appearance, new details were revealed about the relationship between Shah and Pandey. Prosecutors said they might have known each other for months before the shooting and possibly had some kind of relationship.
Carter said Shah and Pandey had an "intimate relationship" for several months before the shooting.
"They met each other, allegedly, from a dating website and then from that dating website they met at her place of employment and then they became intimate," Carter said.
Inside the courtroom, the prosecutor in the case shared details about what happened the night Pandey was killed.
"Noticeably she is scared. She asks him what is he going to do. He tells her, 'Don't make this difficult,' then racks the firearm to secure her compliance," the prosecutor said.
All of that was captured on surveillance video being used as evidence. Court documents paint a similar picture as what was said in court.
A little over an hour after Shah was seen holding Pandey at gunpoint as they entered her apartment, he was seen leaving with her purse.
Carter said Shah and Pandey didn't go to the same church or religious ceremonies but they did initially connect because they're both from Nepal.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown.
Shah is due back in court early next year.