Man accused of murder over burning death of Wade Still pleads not guilty

Wade Still.

A MAN accused of murdering Wade Still, who was burned to death by the side of an isolated stretch of road at Whitebridge in August last year, has pleaded not guilty and will face a trial in Newcastle Supreme Court.

Troy McCosker, 50, was represented by solicitor Mark Hanlon when he appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from Parklea Correctional Centre and pleaded not guilty to murder.

Mr Hanlon said Mr McCosker should be committed for trial and the matter was adjourned to Sydney Supreme Court on December 6 for Mr McCosker to get a trial date.

The development in Mr McCosker's case comes after his co-accused, David McCauley, 36, pleaded guilty to Mr Still's murder last month, admitting to burning the 23-year-old to death by the side of Oakdale Road about 1am on August 20, 2018.

Police preparing to search the location where Wade Still was found.

McCauley, who is represented by solicitor Chris O'Brien, will next appear in Sydney Supreme Court on November 1 to get a sentence date.

He faces a maximum of life in jail for what was undoubtedly a gratuitously cruel and gruesome killing.

The Newcastle Herald revealed last year that Mr Still had made a "dying declaration" that the man who "poured petrol" on him was McCauley.

More to come.