Michael D. Marchalk, accused of beating his father to death with a baseball bat on Father's Day in their Barnesville home, is now in Schuylkill County jail without bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 20 before District Judge Christina E. Hale of Frackville. The hearing will be held at the county courthouse in Pottsville.Marchalk, 33, fled to Atlantic City after the murder, and was on the boardwalk caught on June 23 by Atlantic City police.State police at Frackville charged Marchalk in the death of father, Gary D. Marchalk of Barnesville.Gary Marchalk was a defense lawyer with offices in Tamaqua and Frackville.Michael Marchalk is believed to have beaten his father to death on June 18 after months of death threats.He failed to show up as scheduled at a Pottsville drug treatment program. Authorities tracked his flight to a Philadelphia bus station through his use of his father's bank cards.Marchalk is charged with criminal homicide, murder of the first degree, murder of the second degree, murder of the third degree, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, robbery, theft, theft of a motor vehicle, access device fraud, and recklessly endangering another person.Gary Marchalk was the estranged husband of Schuylkill County Treasurer Linda Marchalk, who had moved out of the home several weeks ago. Gary Marchalk had filed for divorce on May 11. The couple wed in 2007; Matthew and Michael were born to Gary and his first wife, the late Mary Ann Marchalk.Efforts to reach state police spokesman Trooper David Boehm for more details were unsuccessful as of press time.