Two members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians have pleaded guilty in a brutal murder case that happened last November. 

Jerome Steve, 33, and Keenan Martin, 26, both of Philadelphia, entered the pleas to second degree murder on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.

The murder took place in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2017, in the Tucker Community in rural Neshoba County.

The men were accused of kicking and hitting the victim, also a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and beating him with a shovel, metal pipe and post hole digger, according to an indictment issued on May 15.

Steve and Martin will be sentenced on Oct. 10 and could each face a possible sentence of life in prison and fine of $250,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Patrick Lemon, Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Payne. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Police Department.