Vet Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Air Force Sergeant

CALIFORNIA CITY (AP) — An Army veteran has pleaded not guilty to murdering an Air Force staff sergeant in Kern County earlier this month.

The Bakersfield Californian reports that 26-year-old Timothy Aaron Atkins entered his plea Wednesday in the fatal shooting of Brian Carragher in front of the victim's California City home.

Police say Atkins went to the house Sept. 18 to confront his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, who were renting a room from Carragher.

The 29-year-old Carragher apparently told Atkins to leave and was shot four times. He later died at a hospital.

Atkins is due back in court Nov. 4. Meanwhile, he remains in custody on $1.5 million bail.

He was discharged from the Army in 2007 after two tours in Iraq.

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