Darren Bonner, from Sunderland, died in hospital 17 days after being found in a field at Cresswell in July.
Richard Spottiswood, 33, of Canterbury Way in Jarrow, denied murder when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.
Lucy Burn, 29, of Burns Close in South Shields, entered no plea to a murder charge. Both were remanded into custody for another hearing on 14 November.
Mr Bonner, of Palmstead Road in Pennywell, was found in the field near Morpeth on 10 July.
Northumbria Police said he had died on 27 July.
A man has denied murdering a 24-year-old man who died after being found seriously injured in a field.