(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper's office will assist Durham District Attorney Tracey Cline as she tries to overturn the dismissal of murder charges against a man.  Michael Dorman, 32 of Mebane is accused of killing a Durham woman and storing her bones in a backpack.

Judge Orlando Hudson dropped first degree murder charges against Dorman on Tuesday after determining the state destroyed evidence by releasing the remains of murder victim Lakeia Boxley to her family for cremation. Defense attorney Lawrence Campbell had petitioned the court to have the remains preserved for independent testing to determine identity and cause of death.

Cline will appeal the ruling and will be assisted by the state Attorney General’s Office at a hearing Thursday before Judge Hudson.