KINGSTON – A man was arraigned Tuesday on an Ulster County grand jury indictment charging him with second-degree murder in connection with the bludgeoning death of a two-year-old girl on June 20, 2012.

The body of Asia Perez-Medina was found later that day at the rear of the home rented by the defendant, Joseph Rodriguez, 44, his wife, and two school-aged children, on Route 32 in New Paltz. The child was the niece of Rodriguez’s wife.

Rodriguez entered a not guilty plea in Ulster County Court.

The victim was a citizen of the Dominican Republic who was staying with relatives at the time of her death, which District Attorney Holley Carnright described as “grisly.”

During the investigation into the child’s death, it was learned that Rodriguez is a convicted felon and served several years in prison for manslaughter, said New Paltz Police Chief Joseph Snyder.

Rodriguez was located in Newburgh on March 17, and turned over to New Paltz Police.

New Paltz Police were assisted in their investigation by State Police, State Police Troop F FIU, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, City of Newburgh Police, US Marshals Service and Ulster County DA’s Office.