Four Men Charged With Murder of Former Lauryn Hill Bassist

Four men have been charged with the murder of musician Dewey Tucker, a former bassist for singer Lauryn Hill. Santa Rosa, Calif. residents Raul Vega, Hector Barragan, Christopher Mancinas and Javier Carreon-Lopez entered not guilty pleas in response to the charges. The men were apprehended Wednesday (Jan. 12), on the first anniversary of Tucker's death.

The 24-year-old's murder is believed to be a case of mistaken identity. According to prosecutors, the men thought Tucker was a rival gang member. Tucker was found dead in his car on Interstate 80 in the Northern California city of Hercules on Jan. 12, 2010. He was on his way to rehearse with his band, The Coup, when he suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Police initially believed the murder was a random act. Aside from Tucker's murder, Vega has also pleaded not guilty to stabbing a man at a Santa Rosa elementary school last week.

"He was an all-around good guy who always had a smile on his face, who was always goofing around and always playing music," Tucker's friend Tim Berger told local news channel KTVU. "All he was into was music. He was not a troublemaker."