Quran Jones, the suspect in the Oct. 21 killing of his suitemate, 23-year-old Scott Hawkins, at the American River Courtyard residence hall, is now being held without bail at the Sacramento County Main Jail.

Jones, 20, was arrested on Jan. 12 after nearly three months at the UCDavis Medical Center. His arraignment has been postponed twice, and he has yet to make a plea.

At the second court date held today, Jones switched from private attorney Linda Parisi to a public defender. His next court date is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 26 at the Sacramento County Jail court.

Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesperson for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, said Jones is currently detained in the jail’s medical facility on the second floor of the building.

Jones was charged with one count of homicide and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. The district attorney’s office filed charges in early November last year.

Court documents state that on Oct. 21, 2009, Jones fatally beat Hawkins with a baseball bat inside their American River Courtyard residence hall suite.

Campus police officers fired at least seven pepper ball shots at Jones, then 19, who reportedly lunged at them with an 8-inch knife. Police officers then fired three gun shots at Jones, striking his abdomen, right arm and left buttock and eventually subduing him.

Hawkins, who was found unconscious in suite 1032, was pronounced dead on arrival at the UC Davis Medical Center.Hawkins’ autopsy revealed blunt force and sharp force trauma as the cause of death. The State Hornet will provide more information as it becomes available.

Kristine Guerra can be reached at [email protected].