Prosecutors have upgraded charges in the case of a man who allegedly stabbed a woman to death in November as the man allegedly committed or attempted to commit sexual assault during the incident.

Anthony Rodriguez was initially charged with second-degree murder and domestic violence in the stabbing death of 54-year-old Mary Margaret Fogle inside her home at 1200 S. Conwell the afternoon of November 17.

Court documents do not specify whom Rodriguez was allegedly attempting to sexually assault at the time of Fogle's death.

However, filings in Natrona County District Court earlier this month reflect that those charges have been amended to first-degree murder, felony murder and domestic violence.

Fogle's daughter, Alison Cecile Solis, was charged with accessory after the fact.

Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen said prosecutors felt the more severe charges were appropriate after reviewing evidence, but declined to give specific details regarding the ongoing case.

In order to be charged with first-degree murder, the accused has to have premeditated the killing, unlike second-degree murder which simply requires deliberate killing.

Meanwhile, felony murder is charged when the accused kills someone while committing some felonies. In this case, court documents say, that felony is sexual assault.

Both first-degree and felony murder are punishable by a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty in this case, so the most Rodriguez could face is life without parole.

He will enter pleas to the charges before Natrona County District Court Judge Daniel Forgey on July 22.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Rodriguez turned himself in to law enforcement authorities in Colorado following the killing. An investigator with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office notified the Casper Police Department.  Later, a Casper police officer went to Fogle's home to conduct a welfare check.

The officer reportedly looked through the front windows and saw drops of dried blood on the living room floor. A relative provided officers with a key, but police had to force entry into the home because the key didn't work.

Once inside, they found Fogle's body in the hallway.

Homicide investigators in Colorado interviewed Rodriguez, who allegedly admitted that he stabbed Fogle in the neck. He reportedly told investigators that he and Solis were at Fogle's home and, after the killing, they packed up Fogle's red 2006 Honda CRV with their personal belongings, Fogle's dog and Fogle's purse, then drove to Colorado.

Solis reportedly told investigators that Rodriguez had hit her during the drive to Colorado following the killing.

She also told investigators that Fogle was her only family.

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