Penpal pleads not guilty to strangling retired Hollywood High teacher

Scott Kratlian, a 44-year-old white man, pleaded not guilty to murder charges Monday in connection with the death of Harry Major, 82.

Major, a retired Hollywood High School teacher who resigned from the district in 1984, was found strangled in his home in the 1400 block of North Vista Street in Hollywood on Feb. 12, according to authorities. Prosecutors said Major was killed Feb. 10.

His case was initially investigated as a suspicious death and was not listed among the coroner's homicides. Detectives said he died under suspicious circumstances because there was evidence of blunt-force trauma, and his credit cards were missing.

Prosecutors said this week that coroner's officials had determined Major's cause of death to be asphyxiation.

Kratlian faces up to 56 years to life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say Major and Kratlian were penpals while Kratlian served time in a New York prison for manslaughter. He was released from prison late last year.

Kratlian, who was arrested Feb. 18, was being held in lieu of $1.08-million bail. In addition, jail records indicate New York state officials have placed a hold on him because he may have an outstanding warrant.

He is scheduled to be back in court March 17 to set a preliminary hearing.

-- Joseph Serna and Ruben Vives