A Manhattan man charged in the beating death of a former combat medic has pleaded not guilty.

Twenty-4-year-old Justin Taylor entered his plea Monday to a charge of second-degree murder. He’s suspected of killing 31-year-old Kevin Cockrum, who was found unconscious in an alley in Manhattan’s Aggieville in August.

Prosecutors allege Taylor killed Cockrum by hitting him in the head with a flashlight while Cockrum was unconscious. They say another man, Levertis Horne, had knocked Cockrum unconscious after the two men fought.

Horne was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder but the charges were dropped after officials said they did not have enough evidence to prosecute.

The Manhattan Mercury reported Larry McRell, Taylor’s attorney, said Monday that Horne was not telling the truth.