Two men and a woman charged in the 2002 killing of 15-year-old Brenda Sierra have pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Eddie "Shrek" Chavira, 30, and Daniel "Snaps" Cervantes, 35, were charged in the slaying of Brenda. A fourth suspect, Rosemary Chavira, 28, was arrested and charged in March.
The three stood behind a protective barrier in court on Monday when they entered their pleas.
Vincent Oliver, Eddie Chavira's attorney, said his client was in custody at the time of the crime, did not know of it beforehand, and did not participate in the crime.
"He has cooperated with law enforcement for the past 13 years and they chose to arrest him on the day of his parole for no apparent reason other than they could," Oliver said.
The other attorneys didn't immediately return calls.
A fourth suspect, George "Trooper" Barraza, 35, remains on the loose.
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Brenda was kidnapped and murdered while on her way to high school in October of 2002.
Her body was found in the San Bernardino mountains a day after she disappeared.
Rosemary Chavira, Cervantes and Barraza were charged with one count each of murder, conspiracy to dissuade a witness and forcible rape with the special circumstances of felony murder during commission of a kidnapping and to further a street gang.
Eddie Chavira, Rosemary Chavira's brother, is charged with one count each of murder and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
A criminal complaint alleges while Eddie Chavira was in custody for a shooting witnessed by Brenda's relative he told a fellow gang member that he was going to have other gang members "take care of witnesses."
He allegedly also contacted his sister to help get other gang members to "take care of witnesses," prosecutors said in a news release.
Authorities believe Barraza is in Mexico. He is suspected of having connections to a Mexican drug cartel.
Because Rosemary Chavira was a minor at the time of the slaying, she faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. Eddie Chavira faces 25 years to life if convicted as charged.
Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek death against Cervantes and Barraza.
