CUSTER COUNTY— According to Custer County District Court documents, Trenton Esch, 44 of Broken Bow, has entered a written plea of not guilty in Custer County District Court on alleged charges of first-degree murder (class IA felony), use of a firearm during the commission of a felony (class IC felony), and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (class ID felony).
Court documents indicate that District Judge Karin Noakes has set the case for jury trial to begin on October 26 at 9 AM with a pretrial conference scheduled for September 10 at 10 AM.
Esch is facing a possible life sentence after he was arrested after a brief standoff with officers following the alleged murder of his stepmother on Saturday, July 11.
