A man who allegedly killed another man with a machete Sunday was arraigned on a first degree murder charge Wednesday morning.
Brian Thompson, 23, of Charleston, was arraigned by video from South Central Regional Jail, where he remains.
Police found the body of Brandon Robinson, 19, in the river just 50 yards west of where he was killed at about 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Thompson allegedly pushed Robinson's body into the river Sunday morning after killing him outside of a tent on the riverbank behind Lowe's Home Improvement store in Kanawha City.
He was charged with attempted murder and malicious wounding until the body was found.
During an interview with officers, Alyssa Dennard told police that she and Thompson were inside a tent on the riverbank when they heard Robinson throwing snowballs at the tent, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court. Police have said the men were homeless.
When Thompson went outside of the tent, he allegedly began to fight with Robinson. Dennard said she tried to break up the fight.
Thompson told officers that Robinson struck him in the head with a tree branch when he exited the tent. Police say Thompson admitted to striking and stabbing Robinson with a machete and kicking him several times in the face before pushing his body into the river.