A man was charged with homicide after a body was found on state game lands in Westmoreland County last month, authorities said.

Joseph Zvara was charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of 64-year-old Robert Friend, Pennsylvania State Police said in a post on social media on Thursday. Zvara, of Greensburg, was taken into custody on Thursday. He is due back in court later this month for his preliminary hearing, court records show. 

In a lengthy affidavit of probable cause, police say Zvara didn't have prior knowledge of Friend before they had a run-in at Sheetz, where Friend was hanging out, in Greensburg on Oct. 21. However, state police say that Friend and Zvara's son may have had some kind of argument earlier in the day.

"It appears that that stimulated Mr. Zvara to come down to the Sheetz, where Mr. Friend was sitting peacefully outside of Sheetz, and Mr. Zvara goes over there and takes an aggressive posture," said Trooper Steve Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police.

There was no audio on the Sheetz security cameras, but the two looked like they were arguing, but then the two shook hands, got into Zvara's truck and then went to the bar at Pizza Siena in Greensburg.

It was at this bar where police said Friend became drunk and a bit disorderly. The bartender, having Zvara's number, texted him and asked that he not bring Friend to their establishment anymore.

According to court paperwork, the text back from Zvara said, "He disrespected my son at Sheetz. I am going to deal with him."

Friend and Zvara left the bar together and that was the last time Friend was seen alive.

Later that night, Zvara texted Braden Zvara saying simply, "I f-ed up."

Police tracked all of Zvara's movements through his phone when he became a suspect, and that phone pinpointed Zvara at the site of where Friend's body was dumped.

Trooper Limani says that solving this case was an incredible effort on the part of Troop A, and his hat is off to the men and women of the local state police.

"The guys and girls I work with, I will be honest with you, this is one of the proudest moments I have had watching the amazing ability they had to take a whodunit," Limani said. "This was the test of all tests, and these guys aced it."

Now Zvara is being held without bail at the Westmoreland County Prison. He is due back in court Monday, Nov. 17, at 10:30 am.

State police said the investigation continues. Anyone with information on the case can contact the state police's Troop A Barracks at 724-697-5780 or PSP Tips Toll Free at 1-800-472-8477 or online.