Twenty-four-year-old Eric Tobin entered a not guilty plea in Allen District Court Wednesday.
Authorities say Tobin confessed to killing his mother last week. Fifty-six-year-old Pamela Conway's body was in a ravine in the Holland community of Allen County.
Authorities say a potential custody battle sparked an argument between Tobin and his mother.
A preliminary hearing was set for May 12, and public defender James Rhorer was appointed to defend him.