A bench warrant has been issued for a man accused of second-degree murder of a Newmarket resident earlier this month.
Philip Rulli, 56, of no fixed address did not make an appearance at Newmarket Superior Court on Sept. 13 to answer to the charges. He is in custody and refused to show up via video.
Justice of the Peace Tina Rotondi issued a bench warrant with discretion for his appearance on Sept. 16 in courtroom 100 at 9 a.m.
Legal aid lawyer Roy Respicio is assisting Rulli with finding a lawyer to represent him on the charges. Rulli has previously insisted on not appearing in court calling it a waste of time.
Rulli is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Dennis Sweet, 66, in an apartment building at Timothy and Prospect streets in Newmarket.
York Regional Police were called to the building for a welfare check on Sept. 2, where they found Sweet, who had been stabbed and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accused and the victim were known to each other, police said.
