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2 men held without bail in Lawrence slaying

LAWRENCE (AP) - Two men accused of gunning down another man on a Lawrence street in broad daylight as retribution for a drug theft have been ordered held without bail.

Jose "Junior" Rivera of Lawrence and Albert Vasquez of Methuen pleaded not guilty to murder charges at their arraignment Tuesday in Lawrence District Court.

Authorities say the defendants fatally shot 27-year-old Martin Butt of Lowell on Sept. 9 because he stole $1,500 worth of heroin from the 32-year-old Rivera on Labor Day weekend.

Butt was shot in the head and chest and died at the hospital.

The Eagle-Tribune reports that informants told police that Rivera and Vasquez talked about the killing.

Two others have already been charged as accessories in Butt's death .