Man accused of northeast Nebraska murder pleads not guilty

HARTINGTON, Neb. (KTIV) - A Louisiana man facing charges for allegedly killing someone in northeast Nebraska has pleaded not guilty.

Court documents filed on March 23 state that 20-year-old David Phillips Jr. has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, using a deadly weapon to commit a felony and possession of a stolen firearm.

The murder was reported back on March 1 at a tower work site located north of Hartington, Nebraska where Phillips allegedly shot another man, 31-year-old Israel Matos-Colon of Michigan, multiple times. Matos-Colon was pronounced dead at a Yankton hospital the same day and Phillips was taken into custody.

Phillips is to appear in court again on May 22 for his pre-trial conference.