High school cheerleader weeps as she pleads not guilty to involvement in homeless man's murder

George Lowery, who police say was beaten and tortured to death, may have been attacked after stepping in to stop another homeless man being pelted with paintballs

Teenage cheerleader, Hailey Suder, has been charged as an accessory in the homeless man's killing in April (Facebook)

A high school cheerleader wept in court this week while pleading not guilty to helping two brothers brutally murder a homeless man near San Diego. Hailey Suder, 18, faces two counts of being an accessory after the fact to the murder of George Lowery, who was allegedly tortured and beaten to death in April.

Police said Mr Lowery, 50, was found unconscious by his wife Penny, close to their encampment in a river bed in El Cajon, a San Diego suburb, on the evening of 24 April. He had reportedly been kicked and punched in the head, tied up, tortured and robbed. He died in hospital several days later.

Brothers Austin and Preston Mostrong, who are 21 and 19 respectively, were arrested and charged with the killing. They have pleaded not guilty to murder and torture and face life in prison if convicted. Ms Suder is the girlfriend of one of the brothers, according to a report by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Officials have yet to disclose what part Ms Suder is alleged to have played in Mr Lowery’s murder, but she is accused of being present throughout the attack. The teenager was a student and cheerleader at nearby Santana High School, but did not graduate with the rest of her class last month, a spokesperson for the school district told the Los Angeles Times.

Mr Lowery’s wife and his daughter, Katey Torres, believe he may have been killed in retaliation after confronting Austin Mostrong for firing paintballs at another homeless man. “If someone was in need he would do what he could to help, no matter how hard the task,” Ms Torres said. “Although he did not have much, he was always giving.”

Ms Suder, who entered her not guilty plea on Monday, faces close to four years in prison if she is convicted. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 5 July.