Man Denies Involvement In Co-Ed's Death

BOSTON -- The man who police called to be a suspect in the disappearance and death of University of Vermont student Michelle Gardner-Quinn was arraigned Monday on unrelated charges.

Brian Rooney, 36, told police he had nothing to do with Gardner-Quinn's disappearance and death.

In an affidavit released before his court appearance on Monday, Rooney admitted he was the man seen in security camera video walking on Main Street with Gardner-Quinn on the night she disappeared. But Rooney said he and Gardner-Quinn went in separate directions shortly after that point and never saw each other again.

"(Rooney) advised he separated from Gardner-Quinn at that point and he never saw her again. Rooney denied having any knowledge or involvement in Gardner-Quinn's disappearance," Vermont State Police Detective James Claremont said in a statement.

Gardner-Quinn's body was recovered on Friday at the top of a gorge in Richmond, about 15 miles east of the UVM campus.

Police said Rooney is a suspect in the slaying, but has not been charged.

Rooney pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault on a child for allegedly molesting a girl under 14 year old back in the late 1990s.

Rooney was ordered held on $150,000 bail.

Friends, family and schoolmates of Gardner-Quinn held a memorial service this weekend at the University of Vermont.