Man accused of killing wife

ROCKVILLE, Ind. -- A western Indiana man fatally shot his wife and two stepdaughters in their rural home, then told a young boy who overheard the noise that he had shot three deer, authorities said Thursday.\nA judge entered not-guilty pleas for Chad Cottrell, 35, during the rural Rockville man's initial court appearance Thursday afternoon following his capture Tuesday in central Minnesota and his return to the area Wednesday.\nKilled in the shootings Saturday night were Trisha Cottrell, 29, and her daughters Brittany Williams, 12, and Victoria Williams, 10.\nAuthorities released a probable cause affidavit signed by Parke County Sheriff Charles Bollinger that quoted an unidentified, 6-year-old juvenile who was present at the home during the shootings late Saturday. The child said Cottrell was arguing with Brittany "when he heard multiple gunshots in the residence. Chad Cottrell then told the juvenile he had just shot three deer."\nBollinger has said separately that a "very young boy" was at the home around the time that the slayings occurred but was not harmed, and Cottrell took the boy to stay with a relative.\nParke County Prosecutor Steve Cvengros, meanwhile, said Cottrell qualified for the death penalty but that he would consult with the families of the victims before deciding whether to file capital charges. Each of the murder charges also carry prison sentences of 45 years to 65 years.\nThe girls' father, Ryan Williams, said he favored the death penalty.\n"I feel lost. My daughters are dead and I'm lost. I know that the world's gonna keep turning and the sun's gonna come up, but it's gonna turn a little slower and the sun's not gonna be as bright," Williams said at a news conference.\nThe killings have shocked this rural community about 50 miles west of Indianapolis that's best known for its annual covered bridge festival, which was held last month. About 20 state and local police officers provided tight security as Cottrell, wearing a protective vest, was ushered into Parke Circuit Court for his arraignment before Judge Sam Swaim.\nCottrell did not speak during the brief hearing, but one person shouted "God save your soul!" before running out of the courtroom.\nSwaim ordered Cottrell held without bond in the Parke County Jail and appointed attorney Jessie Cook to represent him.\nThe sheriff's affidavit said the bodies were discovered Monday morning by the girls' grandmother, Tricia Parker, and that the victims all appeared to have died from gunshot wounds.\nLater that morning, Cottrell sent three cell phone messages to an acquaintance, David Chad Keith, including one in which the suspect suggested he knew members of his family had been killed, according to the affidavit.\n"I have reached the end of my dusty trail, tell my family I love them, what's left of them," the affidavit quoted the message as saying.\nCottrell then disappeared from the area. He was arrested in Minnesota on Tuesday after not paying for fuel at a service station and being chased by police.\nWilliams, during the news conference with Cvengros, recalled his slain daughters with fondness.\n"Brittany was really rambunctious. She was just so much into dresses and jewelry. And Tori, we called her Tori-bear, because when she hugged you she kinda growled," Williams said.\nThe girls' stepsister, 13-year-old Ambreena Adams, wiped away tears as she also spoke at the news conference.\n"If you have a brother or sister, show them that you love them and that you need them and that you can't live without them, because I don't know how I'm going to live without my sisters," she said.