A Carter County man charged with murder made his first appearance in court on Tuesday.

Chad Anthony Benfield, 43, 123 Cuningham St., Elizabethton, appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court Monday to be arraigned on charges of felony murder and especially aggravated burglary.

Benfield filled out an Affidavit of Indigency and requested that the court appoint an attorney for him. Judge Keith Bowers Jr. reviewed the request and asked Benfield questions regarding his answers. After reviewing the affidavit, Bowers asked Assistant Public Defender Jim Lonon if the Public Defender’s Office had any conflict in the case with regards to representing Benfield.

“Not as far as we know, Your Honor,” Lonon said. “We’re not familiar with who all, exactly, the witnesses are, but the ones we know don’t put us in conflicts.”

Bowers then appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent Benfield and asked Lonon if he would like to take a few moments to speak with his client.

“Your Honor, I do want an opportunity to do that, but if the court wants to go ahead, I can tell the court right now we’re going to need to wait on the Medical Examiner’s report before we can do anything on this,” Lonon said. “Customarily, we’d be concerned, on other cases, about the 10-day rule, but that Medical Examiner’s report is going to be critical, is my understanding, so we’re prepared to waive that.”

Following an arrest on a charge that has not been presented to a Grand Jury, a defendant has a right to have a preliminary hearing in the case within 10 days. Lonon waived that right on behalf of his client to allow time for the Medical Examiner’s report to be completed and reviewed. Lonon estimated that would take between 30 and 45 days.

Bowers set the case for a status recall on Sept. 26 to see if the report was available at that time.

During the court appearance, Bowers noted Benfield is being held on a $500,000 bond on the felony murder and especially aggravated burglary charges and a $25,000 on a charge of being a fugitive from justice out of South Carolina where he is wanted on a charge of violation of probation. Bowers asked Lonon if he wanted to make any requests to the court regarding bond.

“Obviously, this is a felony murder charge,” Lonon said. “If Mr. Benfield qualifies for appointed counsel I can’t imagine he could make any bond the court would set no a charge like this.”

“We’d ask the court just hold that matter in abeyance for now,” Lonon continued. “If need be, we’ll address it at a later time.”

After conferring with the District Attorney’s Office, Bowers left the bond amounts for Benfield unchanged.

The charges against Benfield stem from a Carter County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of 89-year-old Mary Nolen.

On the morning of July 14, Nolen was found inside her home at 128 Dan Bowers Road in the Stoney Creek community by her daughter and granddaughter. Nolen had visible injuries to her head and neck, and blood was coming from her mouth indicating she had been assaulted. According to court documents, Nolen also suffered injuries to her face and scalp, bruising on her arms, and subdural hematomas of the skull and brain.

Due to her injuries, Nolen was not able to communicate with investigators regarding what had happened to her other than by nodding her head. The Carter County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation, collected evidence and interviewed numerous individuals.

On July 26, Nolen died at the Johnson City Medical Center as a result of her injuries. According to Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford, DNA evidence led investigators to develop Benfield as a suspect.

Officers charged Benfield with felony murder and especially aggravated burglary in connection with the case on August 11.