The man accused of kidnapping and killing the wife of Los Lobos guitarist Cesar Rosas [ tickets ] pleaded not guilty to the charges last week in a West Covina, Calif., courtroom. Following the plea, a judge refused to set bail for Gabriel Gomez, 39, of Whittier, Calif., who has been in custody on an unrelated parole violation since Oct. 23.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Gomez could face the death penalty if he is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of his half-sister Sandra Rosas, 47. Prosecutors plan to announce at a Jan. 27 hearing whether they will seek the death penalty in the case. In 1989, a Fresno, Calif., court found Gomez guilty of arson.

Sandra Rosas hasn't been seen since she disappeared from her home on Oct. 23. Though police have not recovered her body, they presume she is dead.

Los Angeles-based Los Lobos canceled most of their shows following Sandra Rosas' disappearance. They recently rescheduled most of the affected dates for February. In December, Cesar Rosas and his bandmates played a pair of Southern California gigs, including a rain-soaked New Year's Eve performance at a sparsely attended festival on Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles.