CHATSWORTH, Ga. — A Calhoun man caused the death of a Resaca man “by repeatedly striking Donnie Charles in the head with a blunt object … ,” according to an indictment returned against Eric Charles Stewart by a Murray County grand jury.

Stewart, 26, was indicted by the grand jury for felony murder for the death of Charles, 54.

Stewart had been charged with murder and concealing the death of another by the Murray County Sheriff’s Office a day after he was released from the Gordon County jail. A bond hearing for Stewart in Superior Court was postponed until next Wednesday, according to the Clerk of Court’s office. 

Officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Murray County Sheriff’s Office had offered few details about the death of Charles, whose body was found behind his home at 1263 Sexton Road on May 17. Witnesses said Stewart had been camping behind Charles’ home, and officers found bloody items belonging to both Charles and Stewart at the campsite.

GBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joe Montgomery previously declined to comment on a motive, but did say that Charles and Stewart knew each other and that Charles had allowed Stewart to stay at his home earlier in the year. Stewart is represented by Public Defender Natalie Glaser and has been in the county jail without bond since his arrest less than two hours after the discovery of Charles’ body. GBI Special Agent Adam Jones with the Calhoun office was listed as the lone witness for the state at the grand jury presentment.

Montgomery said Stewart had been in the Gordon County jail on a misdemeanor shoplifting charge. According to an article the Calhoun Times posted on its website on May 2, Stewart and another man were arrested for shoplifting at the Calhoun Home Depot. Stewart was charged with theft by shoplifting and obstruction of a police officer.