Suspect pleads not guilty in US Sikh family's murder

New York, Oct 14 (IANS) The accused in the kidnapping and killing of four members of an Indian-origin Sikh family in California, including an eight-month-old baby, pleaded not guilty to all the charges in court.

On Thursday, Jesus Salgado appeared in Merced County Superior court wearing shackles and a safety garment, ABC30 reported.

He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, along with arson and possession of a firearm by a felon.

If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Salgado will be back in court on December 15.

Relatives announced that the family would be laid to rest on Saturday in Turlock.

The funeral will be closed to the public but anyone who would like to support the family can gather outside the venue.

The bodies of eight-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle Amandeep Singh, 39 were found in an "extremely remote" area near the intersection of Indiana and Hutchins roads.

Salgado is said to have had a long-standing feud with the family and was a former employee in their trucking business.

In a mindless act of revenge, he murdered the family.

It was reported that the suspect was undergoing medical treatment after he attempted to kill himself before officials arrived to arrest him on October 4.

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke has called for Salgado to face the death penalty.