By Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - The man accused of killing his wife this month in their Lakeside Park apartment was arraigned Monday morning in Kenton District Court, less than 15 hours after being extradited from Chicago.

Dennis R. Greene Sr., 41, of Hollow View Circle in the Derby Ridge apartments, appeared on a video monitor from a cell in the Kenton County jail.

District Judge Douglas Grothaus arraigned Greene on a murder charge and ordered him to be held without bond.

Public defender John Meier was appointed to represent him.

Greene, a native of Chicago, fled there after his wife, Tara Greene, was found dead on May 5.

Her body was found when an employee at the apartment complex unlocked the door for police, who were checking on her at the request of her mother.

Neighbors reported hearing arguments inside the apartment and hearing shots fired the previous weekend.

Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills police are saying little about the case, including how Tara Greene died.

A preliminary autopsy report said she had been strangled.

Tara Greene was a math teacher at Holmes Junior High School in Covington.

The couple's 7-year-old son is staying with her parents.

Dennis Greene was an employee at Children's Home of Northern Kentucky.

A seven-hour standoff with Greene in Chicago ended peacefully May 8 when he released a hostage and surrendered to U.S. marshals. Greene was found at an acquaintance's home with the help of tips from informants, police said.

Greene faces up to life in prison if convicted.

He is not eligible for the death penalty because the murder charge doesn't include aggravated circumstances.

His preliminary hearing is May 29 in Kenton District Court.

E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com