Mississippi man pleads innocent to killing his cousin's family

YAZOO CITY, Miss. -- A former truck driver pleaded innocent Monday to charges that he killed his cousin, his cousin's wife and their 4-year-old son.

Earnest Hargon, 43, was indicted on capital murder charges last week. During an arraignment hearing Monday, Hargon denied killing his relatives at their rural Yazoo County home on Feb. 14.

Authorities found the bodies of the victims -- Michael and Rebecca Hargon and their son, James Patrick -- two weeks later in a wooded area in southeastern Mississippi nearly 100 miles away, not far from Earnest Hargon's home.

Rebecca Hargon was formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and has family still residing there.

A trial date was set for Dec. 6.

Police and prosecutors have not commented on a motive, but investigators had been checking into land that Michael Hargon inherited from an uncle to determine whether it was connected to the slayings.