BIGGS COUSINS PLEAD INNOCENT IN SLAYING OF SCOTT CITY WOMAN

BENTON, Mo. -- Two cousins charged with killing a Scott City, Mo., woman in July have pleaded innocent.

Gary W. Biggs and Charles "Scott" Biggs gave their pleas in arraignments before Circuit Judge David Dolan on Thursday.

Both men are charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 57-year-old Willie Mae Vasquez, whose body was found Aug. 9 in a shallow grave in Scott County near the Mississippi River.

Gary Biggs requested that Dolan not continue as judge in his case. The request was forwarded to the Missouri Supreme Court, which should chose a replacement.

After Scott Biggs' plea, Jan. 25 was set as the date for his next court appearance.

During his cousin's preliminary hearing in November, Scott Biggs described how his friendship with Vasquez in 1997 evolved into a sexual relationship that eventually became his motive for wanting to kill her.

When he was questioned in November by a special prosecutor from the Missouri Attorney General's office, Scott Biggs said Gary Biggs had been the first to hit Vasquez, although the idea to kill her was his own.

Scott Biggs had waived his own preliminary hearing in November. During his cousin's preliminary hearing, Scott Biggs had also said he hoped to face a lesser charge of second-degree murder for providing evidence against Gary Biggs.