BATON ROUGE - The man accused of killing local activist Sadie Roberts-Joseph over his past-due rent has pleaded not guilty.

Officials said Ronn Bell's attorney entered the plea on Bell's behalf Thursday. He was indicted for second-degree murder last week.

Bell was arrested in July after police found the Baton Rouge icon's body stuffed in the trunk of her own car, doused in bleach. Police said Bell was renting property from Roberts-Joseph and killed her because he owed more than $1,200 in back rent.

Investigators used empty bleach bottles found in his home along with DNA evidence to tie him to the killing.