By Sara Gentzler

The Olympian

Amara J. Lundy, 23, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charge of first-degree murder in connection with her mother’s death, according to a spokesperson with the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Lundy is accused of strangling and dismembering her mother, then leaving body parts at Dumpsters and trash cans around northwest Olympia.

Lundy’s trial is currently set to begin Oct. 21, the spokesperson told The Olympian, though that date is subject to change. She is being held at the Thurston County Jail without bail.

According to court documents, Lundy confessed to police officers on Aug. 12 that she had strangled her mother with a section of cord she purchased. Lundy also allegedly told officers that, after she dismembered the body, she and her boyfriend got a shopping cart from a local grocery store and disposed of the body at dumpsters and trash cans around Olympia.

Olympia Police Lt. Paul Lower said Tuesday that detectives with the department are continuing to investigate the case. When asked whether Lundy’s boyfriend was a person of interest at this point, Lower said the boyfriend was interviewed the same day Lundy was and is a witness in the matter.

“I don’t know that we’re at a point to call him a person of interest yet,” Lower said. “But of course everything that happened in this incident is being scrutinized and double-checked, and we are attempting to confirm information, which is what we do with any case.”