Former Cal Fire Chief Hissed By Family Of Alleged Murder Victim

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The former Cal Fire chief accused of murdering his fiancee faced a judge for the first time on Tuesday.

Orville Fleming was greeted by the glaring eyes of his alleged victim's family before he spoke briefly to the judge.

Trading fire gear for a jail jumpsuit, he was walked into court looking relatively well-groomed after spending more than two weeks hiding out in the brush near where he was last seen.

Fleming confirmed to the judge who he was and said he could not afford an attorney. Meanwhile, the family of the alleged victim, Sarah Douglas, sat in court. At times her mother would hiss in his direction.

It was on May 1 that Douglas was found stabbed and strangled in the home she shared with Fleming outside of Elk Grove.

Fleming would vanish, only to be found more than two weeks later at a bus stop. Investigators say he had been hiding in shrubs near train tracks close to where he abandoned his Cal Fire pickup.

Fleming did not enter a plea. He will be back in court next week.