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Twin Brothers Plead Not Guilty In Fatal Crash That Killed Father, Daughter

AUBURN (CBS13) — On the day a father and daughter killed at the end of a high-speed chase were laid to rest, the twin brothers suspected in their death faced a judge.

Jose Barriga Tovar, 35, and his 14-year-old daughter Anahi died last week when police say a stolen truck driven by Ruslan and Roman Glukhoy hit them, killing them instantly.

Family and friends of the suspects scurried to their cars without talking to the media just moments after the twins pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder.

The judge denied our cameras from showing the suspects in court, but Deputy District Attorney Dave Tellman is hitting Ruslan with a special circumstance that would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty. But he stopped short of saying Ruslan was the driver of the stolen truck.

"I can't comment on the evidence, or our theory of prosecution at this time," Tellman said.

But Dave Cohen, Roman's attorney, seemed confident that his client was in the passenger seat at the time of the crash.

"I would surmise from the charging from the district attorney, that this is their belief that Ruslan was the driver," he said.

Ruslan's attorney had condolences for the family, but urged against a rush to judgment.

"It's a horrible, horrible tragedy, we all know that," said Joe Welch. It's a terrible thing that has happened, and we've got to try this case in that courthouse rather than out here in the parking lot. That's what I'm going to focus on.

This is not the first time the brothers have been in court. CBS13 uncovered last week that Ruslan was charged with burglary in 2012, and Roman was convicted of receiving stolen property last year.

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