BOULDER — A judge denied bail for a murder suspect Tuesday after the prosecutor told him that stab wounds on the victim showed she struggled to defend herself and were inconsistent with the story the suspect told police.

Alfred Michael Strauss, 45, is in the Boulder County Jail, held for investigation of first-degree murder in the death of his ex-wife, Laura Collette Swan.

Police found Swan's body Monday evening at the home she shared with Strauss in the 2900 block of 18th Street.

Strauss had phoned police, telling them he was involved in a domestic dispute. He had divorced his ex-wife a year and a half ago, but the couple reconciled six months ago.

Tuesday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Bruce Langer told Boulder County Judge. David A. Archuleta that new evidence shows five stab wounds on Swan's body, including one on the back of her neck and one in the hand, suggesting that she was trying to defend herself.

Strauss told police Monday evening that Swan came at him with a big butcher knife and they struggled. He got the knife away from her and stabbed her, he said.

The fact that there were five stab wounds, including the ones to the back of the neck and the hand "makes his statement suspect," Langer said.

Strauss's attorney, Roger Buchholz, asked Archuleta to consider that Strauss has owned his own business, CE Microsystems, Inc., for 11 years, owns his own house, and has two small children, 2 and 4.

He also mentioned that Strauss has an almost spotless criminal record — except for a deferred sentence on a domestic-violence-related harassment charge involving Swan.

"She didn't allege any injuries," he said.

Buchholz also mentioned that Strauss's father is a retired attorney in Pennsylvania and his brother works for the U.S. Justice Department.

Archuleta denied bail but said he would revisit the matter on Thursday when he sees more of the statements by police.

Strauss called his father in Pennsylvania after the stabbing incident to ask him what to do and his father told him he had to contact the police.

Later, Strauss's father, Alfred Strauss, told investigators that his son sounded "terrified." The elder Strauss also told police that Laura had "mood swings" but he wasn't aware of any mental health diagnosis.

At the police station, after he was asked whether he wanted to talk to an attorney, but before he answered, Strauss said that "if he hadn't been paying attention he would have been the one where she's sitting," according to the arrest report.

Several of Strauss's friends showed up for support when he appeared in the jail's courtroom Tuesday.

"He's a friend and he's a good guy," said Dana Burke, who has known Strauss since college.

"I'm heartbroken at this situation," she said. "He's always been such a rule follower. Once, when there were all these cars in front of me, and I cut through a gas station to make a turn, Mike chastised me for doing that."

Burke said she didn't know Laura Swan as well but that "she was a very loving mother."

Strauss will be advised the formal charges against him next week.