A 24-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the killing of a 39-year-old artist on Maui, according to court records.

Healohaomakanaamekai Akahi Pua of Haiku was charged with second-degree murder and remained in custody, unable to post $1 million bail.

A Maui district judge sent Akahi Pua’s case to Circuit Court for trial and set his next court date for Tuesday.

The body of the victim, Michael Colby of Kahului, was found in the brush by a kite-surfing instructor near the western end of Kanaha Beach on March 19, according to court documents.

An autopsy found Colby died of blunt force trauma to his head and neck.

Police first arrested Akahi Pua’s 16-year-old cousin April 29 when his mother turned him in to police. The boy’s girlfriend told police he had called her from Colby’s cellphone and confessed to his involvement in Colby’s death, court documents said.

While in custody the boy told police that his cousin Akahi Pua beat Colby on March 19 after Colby yelled at them near Kanaha Beach, documents said. After Colby was knocked unconscious in the fight, the boy grabbed Colby’s cellphone, which was lying next to his head. Police turned the boy over to the Sheriff Division pending a detention hearing.

At about 2:45 a.m. Saturday police arrested Akahi Pua at Kanaha Beach.

Akahi Pua, who confessed to police that he beat Colby, told police he was called to Kaa Point by his friend “Jewlz,” who said Colby’s truck almost hit Jewlz’s vehicle, which was carrying his son, documents said.

He said Jewlz used a bat to beat Colby’s Ranger pickup truck, which was found with all the windows and lights smashed, documents said.

Akahi Pua said he walked down toward the beach to locate the truck’s owner and found Colby in some bushes from the glow of Colby’s cellphone, according to court documents. Akahi Pua told police he argued with Colby, who pushed Akahi Pua twice.

Akahi Pua punched Colby in the face, and they exchanged several punches until he kicked Colby in the leg, causing Colby to stumble. Akahi Pua then punched Colby in the face, knocking him on his back and into unconsciousness, the documents said.

Akahi Pua said he stood over Colby and punched him two more times in the face, according to the documents. He said Colby was alive and making snoring sounds when he and his cousin left him on the ground. The two told police they were unaware that Colby had died until the next day.