LEWISTON — A Turner man denied two murder charges Tuesday stemming from the slaying of a Turner couple who were his landlords.

Patrick Maher Androscoggin County Jail

Patrick Maher, 24, of 419 Turner Center Road pleaded not guilty in 8th District Court to two counts of intentional or knowing or depraved indifference murder.

If convicted, he faces from 25 years to life in prison on each charge.

Maher is accused of fatally stabbing Troy Varney, 52, and Dulsie Varney, 48, at their home on Knight Farm Road in Turner early in the morning on Feb 12.

Maher was a tenant of the couple.

He was indicted last month on the murder charges by an Androscoggin County grand jury.

According to an affidavit, Maher broke into the couple’s home through a living room window.

Troy and Dulsie Varney Facebook photos

Autopsies revealed they died from sharp-force injuries to the head, torso and extremities. Their deaths were ruled homicides.

During Tuesday’s court hearing, Justice Valerie Stanfill ordered that Maher continue to be held without bail pending trial.

At an earlier hearing for Maher’s initial court appearance, Stanfill had ordered mental evaluations of Maher for his competency to stand trial and to gauge his state of mind at the time of his alleged criminal conduct.