BILLINGS, Mont. -- Three Sheridan teens accused of killing a well-known businessman during a home burglary pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges Tuesday.

Dennis Poitra Jr., 19; Wyatt Bear Cloud, 16; and Dharminder Vir Sen, 15, entered pleas to the murder charges and to two counts of aggravated burglary during separate arraignments before District Judge John Fenn.

Bond, previously set at $200,000 for each defendant, remained unchanged, said Sheridan County Attorney Matthew Redle. There were no motions to reduce bond.

Fenn set a two-week period, from March 8 to 19, for trial. A hearing on whether the teens will be tried together or separately along with other motions will be held in January, the prosecutor said. A pre-trial hearing is set for February.

The teens are accused of breaking into a house shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 26 and shooting the homeowner, Robert Ernst, 79, with a 9 mm handgun. The burglary netted $31.

An autopsy found Ernst was hit twice, once in the abdomen and once in the lower chest. Ernst's wife, Linda, called 911 and reported her husband had been shot by intruders wearing dark clothes and masks.

According to court records, the three teenagers told police in interviews they had decided to rob some homes. They went to some other area homes but were scared off before they cut a window screen to enter the Ernst residence. The three entered the Ernst home carrying the 9mm pistol and a length of 2-by-4 lumber. Vir Sen allegedly shot Ernst after he woke up. The three fled the home with money from Linda Ernst's purse.

The Ernsts ran a Rent-A-Center. Ernst's family once operated a prominent saddlery in town.

The teens are charged as adults.