The 21 year old man accused in the murder of his girlfriend in her dorm room at the College at Brockport was arraigned Thursday morning in Rochester.

Clayton Whittemore pleaded not guilty to a charge of second degree murder. Both Whittemore, and his girlfriend, 18 year old Alexandra Kogut are from New Hartford in the Utica area.

Kogut was found beaten to death on September 29th. Police caught up with Whittemore at a Thruway rest stop several hours later.

According to a statement that Whittemore allegedly made to a jail deputy, the two had argued just before the incident, with Whittemore saying Kogut had pushed him and that he punched her repeatedly and "just snapped." Whittemore reportedly told the deputy that he also struck Kogut with a curling iron.

He is still being held without bail and will be back in court in December.