A Tobyhanna man was charged with criminal homicide Monday, based on a presentment by a grand jury

James Bidwell, 49, of Arrowhead Lakes, was charged in the death of Kristen Wagner, 27, whose body was found hanging from electrical heating wire tied to the ceiling of a freight trailer located in a scrap yard on Crowe Road in Stroud Township.

The yard housed a business owned and operated by Bidwell.

Although the circumstances were suspicious, the original investigators deemed the death a suicide.

As a result of new information, the case was reopened in June of 2014. The matter was placed before the Monroe County Investigating Grand Jury.

On July 26, the Grand Jury issued a detailed Presentment recommending the arrest of Bidwell for the homicide of Wagner.

According to court papers, Bidwell admitted to an associate that he killed Wagner. Bidwell was hooked on methamphetamine and supplied drugs to Wagner, with whom he was having an affair. He said he thought she was going to turn him into police, according to court documents.

The presentment was reviewed by the Judge Margherita Patti Worthington.

The prosecution is being handled by First Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso along with ADA Kimberly Metzger, Detectives Richard Luthcke and Wendy Serfass of the District Attorney's Office, and Detective Steven Hettel of the Stroud Area Regional Police.

He will be arraigned at 11:30 a.m. before MDJ Higgins in Stroud Township.

He is currently housed at the Monroe County Correctional Facility on convictions for drug offenses and prostitution.