Judge grants $20k bond to man charged in Las Cruces manslaughter case

A judge has set bond at $20,000 for a suspect accused of gunning a man down while he was out for a walk with his wife in Las Cruces.

Judge Conrad Perea on Monday agreed with prosecutors that 41-year-old Corban Serna poses a flight risk and required that the bond be secured — and ordered that Serna not leave the state. However, Perea rejected a request that Serna be held without bond pending trial for voluntary manslaughter.

Serna is charged in the shooting death two weekends ago of 28-year of Nathan Froseth.

Police said Froseth and his wife taking a walk after a night of drinking when Serna approached the couple and began arguing with Froseth ​​​​ Detectives claim the argument ended when Serna pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds.

Serna’s attorney maintains his client acted in self-defense.

In court last week, the defense and prosecution had sparred over pre-trial publicity in the case. The district attorney accused the defense of trying to taint the jury pool.

The judge at the time declined to sanction Serna’s defense for its conduct, but did caution both sides in the case to follow legal ethics standards.