VIDALIA — The three men indicted in connection with a September murder in Monterey have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

George E. Byrd, 26, 422 Dumas Drive, Apt. B, was indicted by a Concordia Parish grand jury last week on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the apparent killing of John Perritt, 63, of Monterey.

Byrd entered his plea before the Seventh Judicial District Court Thursday.

The two other men indicted in connection with the case — James H. Anderson Jr., 23, 342 Old Washington Road and Desmond D. Washington, 28, 422 Watts Ave. — entered “not guilty” pleas before the court Wednesday.

Anderson was indicted on a charge of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder, while Washington was charged with intimidating a witness.

Anderson’s case has been set for a status conference with the court Aug. 19, while Washington’s case has a trial of motions scheduled for Sept. 10.

Perritt was found dead under a blanket outside his residence in September, a foot protruding from under it. He had apparently been dead for some time before the discovery.

Law enforcement officials have withheld many of the details about the case, but have said Perritt’s car was found in Natchez by Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the car was later processed for fingerprints, DNA and blood samples.