A couple accused of first-degree murder in the death of an Oak Ridge woman found dismembered in a home in August 2020 appeared in court today for a preliminary hearing.

Court documents state 52-year-old Sean Finnegan and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Rebecca Dishman, both facing first-degree murder, aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

In August 2020, officers discovered the body of 36-year-old Jennifer Paxton at a home on East Fairview Road. Court documents say she was tortured, raped and deprived of food and medical care. They also stated her body was put in a freezer, with parts of it removed.

After hearing graphic evidence presented in court today, the judge bound the case over to a grand jury for consideration of indictments against Dishman and Finnegan.

The death penalty is being considered if the two are convicted on the charges.