By Neal Putnam

A judge declined to set any bail June 17 for a man suspected of killing his boyfriend in a Downtown motel.

Ryan Edward Breeland, 41, pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the June 9 death of Kenneth Banks, 32, whose body was found in a motel in the 1300 block of 10th Avenue in Downtown San Diego.

The room was registered to Breeland and he had checked out. The body was discovered by a motel staff member who called San Diego Police.

The murder charge says Breeland used a knife in the crime, but a prosecutor said Banks died from blunt force trauma to his face and head.

Attorneys did not make an argument about bail at the June 17 arraignment before San Diego Superior Court Judge Joseph Branigan, so he left the no bail status remain.

The arraignment took place at 5:17 p.m. on a long calendar on what was the first day of in-person arraignments now that the courts have re-opened. During the coronavirus outbreak, live streamed audio of hearings took place but that has been discontinued.

A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 23 and Breeland waived his right to have it heard earlier. His attorney, Shonte Hobson, asked for discovery materials from the prosecution.

Breeland is from Allendale, South Carolina. He has a felony conviction in South Carolina, and he was booked here on a parole violation. His Facebook page said he was in a relationship.

A funeral service for Banks was scheduled for July 2 at a National City mortuary. He lived in San Diego.

— Neal Putnam is a local courts reporter.