A man accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife in Ellicott City less than four hours after he was in custody on a charge of violating a protective order will remain in the Howard County Detention Center.

Alexander Stephenson, 53, of Ellicott City, appeared via video Tuesday before Howard County District Judge Allison Sayers to determine whether he would continue to be held without bond.

His attorney, Assistant Public Defender Caroline Kelly, then informed Sayers that her client would waive his right to a bail review.

He’s charged with first- and second-degree murder, carrying a dangerous weapon, violating a protective order and related offenses in the killing of his wife, Amethyst Stephenson, which happened at about 8 a.m. Sunday inside a home on Huntsmans Run, in a small neighborhood off Triadelphia Road.

At about 10:30 a.m., he turned himself in at the Howard County Police Department’s Northern District Headquarters.

Special Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Murphy and Assistant State’s Attorney Shannon McDade handled the case.

No family members or friends appeared to be sitting in the courtroom gallery.

On Jan. 12, Amethyst Stephenson sought and received a temporary protective order against her husband in Howard County Circuit Court, alleging that he’d threatened to kill her and the children.

He agreed Feb. 2 to a final protective order.

Five days later, not long before 9:45 p.m. Saturday, the Maryland State Police arrested Alexander Stephenson on a charge of violating a protective order after his wife told them that he tried calling her twice.

He was also charged with second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property and intoxicated endangerment.

Troopers alleged that Alexander Stephenson threw his 17-year-old son’s cellphone out of a moving SUV.

That’s because the son tried to call his stepmother, Amethyst Stephenson, after noticing his father appeared drunk, police claimed.

The son then pulled into the parking lot of a High’s on Sykesville Road in Carroll County, police reported, where he got into a scuffle with his father.

Alexander Stephenson’s 14-year-old daughter also told police that her father scratched her right eye.

A district court commissioner in Carroll County released Alexander Stephenson on his personal recognizance and issued him a summons to appear in court on April 8.

Less than four hours later, police allege, Alexander Stephenson stabbed Amethyst Stephenson to death. She was 47.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 6.