Indiana high schooler pleads not guilty to killing 73-year-old man

(Reuters) - A not guilty plea was entered on Wednesday on behalf of a suburban Indianapolis high school student charged with murdering a 73-year-old man found dead in a park, prosecutors said. Police in Fishers, Indiana, a prosperous suburb 21 miles north of Indianapolis, said Maxwell Hunt Winkler, 17, a student at Hamilton Southeastern High School, killed Henry Kim, 73, while Kim was out for his daily walk. Winkler's case is in adult court, and he is being held in Hamilton County jail without bail, prosecutors said. Andrew Barker and James Voyles appeared as lawyers for Winkler, but were not immediately available for comment. The not guilty plea entered on Winkler's behalf will become a formal plea of not guilty after 20 days, prosecutors said. Police believe Winkler acted alone and did not know his victim, described by local media as a respected member of the Korean immigrant community. Fishers Police Sergeant Tom Weger said police do not think it was a hate crime and don't know the motive. Kim's body was found on Saturday in a park. He had been shot three times and his throat was cut, Weger said. Fishers Police released images of a mountain bike and a distinctive bike helmet believed to be similar to those used by the suspect. Weger said police later encountered Winkler with that same bike and helmet in a wooded area on Monday afternoon. Later that night, police did a search of Winkler's home and another location. Winkler was arrested early on Tuesday, police said. A pretrial conference is set for Jan. 13, and a jury trial is set for April 7. (Reporting by Mary Wisniewski in Chicago; Editing by Eric Beech)