“Nicholas Rossi Denies Faking Death to Avoid Utah Rape Charges in Court Appearance”

Accident – death – Obituary News : Man Accused of Faking death to Evade Rape Charges Denies Identity in Court Appearance

Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian, appeared in court on Tuesday to deny allegations that he faked his death to avoid rape charges in Utah. The accused, who is currently held without bail, faces charges for the 2008 rape of a 21-year-old woman in Orem, Utah.

During the court appearance, Rossi, 36, identified himself as Arthur Knight Brown and claimed that the allegations against him were “complete hearsay.” Speaking in an apparent British accent, he vehemently denied being the suspect in the case.

Prosecutors revealed that Rossi, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was not identified as a suspect until a decade later due to a backlog of DNA test kits at the Utah State Crime Lab. He was extradited from Scotland earlier this month to face the charges against him.

Rossi, who appeared via video from jail wearing an oxygen mask, did not enter a plea at the initial court appearance. He struggled to be understood at times and had to lift his mask to speak clearly.

Deputy Salt Lake County attorney Tamara Basuez stated that Rossi had not admitted his true name or birthdate since returning to Utah. However, Rossi objected to this claim, dismissing it as hearsay.

The accused is currently being held without the possibility of posting bail in the Orem case. A detention hearing has been scheduled for January 26 to further address the matter.

The judge assured Rossi that a lawyer would be appointed for him, as he claimed to already have one who did not receive notice of Tuesday’s hearing.

Rossi’s troubled past includes growing up in foster homes in Rhode Island and becoming a vocal critic of the state’s Department of Children, Youth and Families. In a previous media interview, he claimed to have late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a limited time left to live. An obituary published online even declared his death on February 29, 2020.

Authorities have revealed that Rossi used at least 10 different aliases over the years. His evasion of the law came to an end when he was arrested in December 2021 after being recognized by someone at a Glasgow hospital while seeking treatment for COVID-19. Rossi maintained that he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and had never set foot on American soil.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Rossi has consistently appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing an oxygen mask, and speaking with a British accent. After a lengthy court battle, Judge Norman McFadyen of Edinburgh Sheriff Court ruled in August that the extradition process could proceed, describing Rossi as “dishonest, deceitful, evasive, and manipulative.”

In conclusion, Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian, denied being the suspect in the rape charges he faces during his recent court appearance. The accused, who allegedly faked his death to evade these charges, will have a detention hearing on January 26..