FARGO - U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson has ordered that the jury pool for the trial of a man accused of killing UND student Dru Sjodin be drawn from southeastern North Dakota, and not the northern Red River Valley.

In an order filed Tuesday, Erickson said the decision is "an effort to prevent unnecessary increased costs" for the trial of Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. Erickson said jurors from the federal court's Northeastern Division would be entitled to more money for travel to Fargo, where the trial is set to begin March 6, 2006.

Rodriguez, 51, of Crookston, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of kidnapping resulting in the death of Sjodin, who disappeared from a Grand Forks shopping mall in November 2003. Her body was found near Crookston last April. Federal prosecutors have told Rodriguez's lawyers they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Erickson said in his order that the jury pool will be drawn from the court's Southeastern Division, which includes the counties of Barnes, Cass, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Griggs, LaMoure, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele and Stutsman.

The order says the court will prepare a jury questionnaire, with both the defense and prosecution offering comments and suggestions. The jury panel will be brought in about 10 days before the trial to complete the questionnaire. Potential jurors will then be questioned individually.