LISTEN: Ben Savage told us he had nothing to do with the death of Charlie McBride. Then he was arrested for murder.

EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton spoke with Ben Savage on the phone a few days before he was arrested in connection to the death of Charles McBride. Listen to the conversation in the video player above.

CHALLIS — A man accused of killing a 23-year-old Custer County man is expected to appear in court this week after being arrested at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport Saturday.

Ben J. Savage, 36, has been transferred from the Bonneville County Jail to Custer County and is being held until his first court appearance where bail could be set.

Savage was the last known person to see Charles “Charlie” McBride on February 25 as the two reportedly went to work near Morgan Creek in rural Custer County. McBride’s body was discovered burned and buried in the Morgan Creek Drainage on March 24. Investigators originally called the disappearance of McBride a missing persons case but it quickly turned into a homicide investigation after the discovery of his body.

In a March 7, Facebook post, which has since been deleted, Sheriff Stuart “Stu” Lumpkin said that Savage was cooperating with detectives. The sheriff wrote the property where Savage worked was checked and no evidence of “fresh dug holes” or any “fire pits” were found in the Morgan Creek area.

It’s unclear why Savage was at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport Saturday and whether he was returning to or leaving eastern Idaho. EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton spoke with Savage March 25 – the day after McBride’s body was found. (You can listen to the phone call in the video player above.)

Savage denied any involvement in McBride’s disappearance or death and said McBride was on drugs when he picked him up for work that morning.

“He was high on meth. That’s all I can tell you right now. I’m working with the police right now. It’ll come out soon,” Savage said.

EastIdahoNews.com will continue to post the latest on this developing story.