DURANT - A Bennington man has been charged in connection with a beating death that occurred eight months ago.

David Eugene Russell, 36, was charged Friday afternoon with first-degree manslaughter. According to court papers, William Eugene Randall, 39, died Nov. 18 from injuries received during a fight with Russell.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Bennington Police investigated the incident. The charge was filed after a lab report by the state Medical Examiner's Office was completed.

According to the OSBI, Randall was found on Forgason Road in Bennington after someone disclosed that a man had been dumped out of a vehicle. Randall was taken to the Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma where he was pronounced dead.

“This is kind of an unusual case in that the allegation involved Mr. Randall passing away as a result of a fight,” said District Attorney Emily Redman. “We had to wait on an autopsy report as well as the OSBI report to be sure his death was the result of Mr. Russell's acts.”

According to Redman, the medical examiner's report listed blunt trauma to the head as the cause of the death. Also, the victim had a high blood alcohol level and that could have contributed to the death.

A baseball bat found in Russell's vehicle was seized to determine if it had been used in the crime and a lab test revealed it had not, according to Redman. Another bat that was later turned in also was tested and there was no evidence it had been used in the crime either.

No weapons are believed to have been used during the fight, according to Redman.

Redman said there is no evidence that shows Russell intended to kill Randall, although he did commit a misdemeanor assault and battery, and if someone dies as a result of that, the perpetrator can be charged with felony manslaughter.

According to the OSBI, Russell and Randall had been at a Bennington tavern earlier in that evening and Randall asked for a ride.

“The allegation is that Mr. Russell was giving Mr. Randall a ride home from a nightclub and that they got into an argument and a fight ensued,” Redman said.

A warrant has been issued for Russell's arrest and bond was set at $50,000. Russell had not been arrested at press time Saturday.