Not guilty pleas for U.S. man charged in deaths of two women

CROWN POINT, IND.. — A judge recorded not guilty pleas Wednesday for a former Marine who is charged with murder in the strangulation deaths of two women found in northwestern Indiana and is suspected of killing five others.

During an initial hearing that lasted eight minutes, Lake County Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan explained to Darren Vann that the informal pleas in the strangulation deaths of 19-yearold Afrikka Hardy and 35year-old Anith Jones would become formal in 20 days unless he or his attorney takes action.

Vann, 43, had refused to speak during an initial hearing in the Hardy case a week earlier and was cited for contempt. On Wednesday, the convicted sex offender from Gary responded to Sullivan's questions, giving his address and birth date and repeatedly uttering “yes, ma’am” and “no ma’am.”

He also acknowledged that he understood the reason for the hearing. A week earlier, Vann had just stared back silently at Sullivan when she asked him the same question.

Vann is charged with murder in the deaths of Hardy and Jones as well as two counts of murder in the perpetration of a robbery and two counts of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Sullivan told Vann he faced sentences of 45 years to 65 years in prison and

possibly the death penalty in each death.

Vann’s next hearing in both cases is set for Jan. 9.

Sullivan granted public defender Matthew Fech's request that she issue a gag order barring investigators from interviewing Vann in the Jones case without Fech being present, just as she had in the Hardy case a week earlier.