Texas authorities have reduced the bail for a man charged in connection with the murder of ZuZu Verk, a 22-year-old student who vanished in October.

As Crime Online previously reported. Chris Estrada was arrested in February on charges that he helped Verk’s ex-boyfriend Robert Fabian hide the young woman’s body after Fabian allegedly murdered her. An investigation found that Fabian had used Estrada’s credit card to purchase materials that were used to dispose of Verk’s body.

She was found in a shallow grave outside of Alpine, Texas, where she was last seen.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Estrada’s bail was significantly lowered at a bond hearing on Wednesday. Estrada had previously been held on $500,000 bail. On Wednesday, the Brewster County Sheriff’s Department lowered Estrada’s bail to $175,000 for one count of tampering with or fabricating evidence by concealing a human corpse, and $50,000 for an additional count of tampering with evidence.

Estrada’s attorney told CBS 7 that his client intends to plead not guilty to the charges.

Estrada had previously been charged with a DUI and evading arrest. He was in Phoenix when he was apprehended on charges connected to Verk’s murder.

Photo: Brewster County Sheriff’s Department/Police handout