A New Mexico man accused of kidnapping and killing an 11-year-old girl on Navajo Nation land pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.
Tom Begaye, 27, offered a ride to Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother and abducted them on Monday because he intended to sexually assault her, according to court documents, NBC News reported.
He was arrested on Tuesday, and he confessed to the killing. After driving the children on a dirt road, Begaye led Ashlynne away from the van and hit her with a tire iron, NBC News reported, citing the criminal complaint.
Begaye was charged with murder, kidnapping, kidnapping of a minor and committing a crime on an Indian reservation, NBC News reported. If convicted, he could face a life sentence in prison.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- Home Losses From L.A. Fires Hasten ‘An Uninsurable Future’
- The Women Refusing to Participate in Trump’s Economy
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- How to Dress Warmly for Cold Weather
- We’re Lucky to Have Been Alive in the Age of David Lynch
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Column: No One Won The War in Gaza
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com