DA says man's wife was poisoned.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Gary V. Murray

WORCESTER - A Fitchburg man charged with the murder of his wife, who died from morphine poisoning and whose remains were found in a suitcase in Oxford, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday in Worcester Superior Court.

Asim Amran, 30, of 355 Summer St., Fitchburg, is accused of killing 27-year-old Faiza Malik on or about Dec. 31 in Fitchburg. The decomposed body of the woman, who emigrated from Pakistan several years ago to marry Mr. Amran, was discovered by police Aug. 20 in a suitcase in woods near the Interstate 395 exit for Depot Road in Oxford.

An autopsy determined that Ms. Malik, the mother of a 3-year-old boy, died from morphine poisoning and her death was a homicide, Timothy J. Connolly, a spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said yesterday.

Mr. Amran was arraigned Aug. 21 in Fitchburg District Court and was indicted last month by a Worcester County grand jury, moving his case to Worcester Superior Court.

Handcuffed and shackled and accompanied by his lawyer, Michael S. Hussey, Mr...