Two men and a woman are to face trial in November over the Thorpe le Soken "body-in-the-cupboard" killing.
The three appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court and denied murdering 24-year-old Justin Chant, whose body was found in a flat at Byng Close last November.
They also denied an alternative charge of manslaughter and one of falsely imprisoning Mr Chant by detaining him against his will between October 26 and November 9 last year.
The three - Stephen Sullivan, 39, from Byng Close, Thorpe le Soken, Lee Smith, 21, from Seymour Road, Clacton, and Michaela Wrenn, 20, also from Byng Close - all denied a third charge of obstructing the Essex coroner in the execution of his duty by concealing the body of Mr Chant.
Their trial has been provisionally fixed for November at Chelmsford and is expected to last four weeks.
Sullivan was remanded in custody. Smith and Wrenn were granted bail following a plea and directions hearing.
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