Man Charged With First-Degree Murder After Victim Beaten To Death With Hammer

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- A Montgomery County man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after authorities say a man was beaten to death with a hammer.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that 34-year-old Michael Bell was arrested in the death of 42-year-old Leroy McCray in Norristown.

Norristown police were called to Riverside Apartments on Saturday around 8:15 p.m. and found McCray dead on his couch with wounds to his head.

An investigation reveals that Bell and McCray had a verbal altercation and that Bell allegedly hit McCray multiple times with a carpentry hammer.

An autopsy revealed that McCray died from blunt force trauma to the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

Bell was denied bail and remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6.