A 14-year-old boy has denied murdering a Bay of Plenty man.

The teenager, whose name is suppressed, appeared in the High Court at Napier on Tuesday before Justice Rebecca Ellis, faced with one charge of murder by stabbing or cutting with a weapon and one charge of burglary.

Pleas of not guilty were entered by the teen's lawyer Eric Forster.

The teen was scheduled to reappear in the High Court in October and was remanded in custody until then.

The boy was arrested a month after Opotiki man Kelly Donner was found dead in Flaxmere, Hawke's Bay, on March 4.

His death is described as a 'needless and merciless killing” by police.

Four other youths were arrested in connection to the homicide investigation.

The youths, aged between 14 and 16 years old, were charged with Wounding with Intent to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm and have been dealt with by the youth court.

-Additional reporting from Stuff.co.nz