Saying he was a flight risk, prosecutors asked a judge Friday morning to set a bond for murder suspect Shawn Smoot at $500,000.
Smoot is charged in the death of 23-year-old Brooke Morris, a Powell mother who was found shot to death on a Roane County roadway on Oct. 15, 2011.
Months later, in June of 2012, a grand jury indicted Smoot on first-degree murder charges, but Smoot failed to show up for a June 25 arraignment.
He was arrested in Mississippi the next day. Officials said he was found with clothing, camping gear, and a loaded gun in his car.
Smoot waived his arraignment until Friday's bond hearing, where a Mississippi sheriff and U.S. Marshal testified.
According to testimony, Smoot was living with a friend from high school. He left a note asking that friend to take care of his affairs and sell his car, if necessary. He also left instructions on what to do with his storage unit.
The defense argued there was no indication in the note that Smoot was planning to flee. Prosecutors said the note is evidence that he was.
Smoot's attorney also argued that original bond of $100,000 was too high because it is not a capital case and Smoot left for Mississippi before he was indicted.
But prosecutors argued that Smoot became a fugitive when he failed to show up for his June court date.
The judge in the case has reserved his ruling for now.