PARKERSBURG – The man arrested in October for a 2014 murder will remain in jail without bond, a judge ruled this morning.

Gregory Alan Casto, 56, of Walker, was indicted by a grand jury last month on charges of first-degree murder and concealment of a deceased human body in the killing of Cindy Ball, whose body was found Oct. 24, 2014, in Wirt County, two days after she was last seen at the Overtime Sports Bar in Parkersburg.

Casto appeared with his attorney, Bill Merriman, at a bond hearing before Wood County Circuit Court Judge J.D. Beane today. Merriman argued that, as a lifelong Wood County resident who has not been charged outside of this incident in the 11 years since Ball’s death, Casto is not a flight risk or a threat to the community.

“He’s here, he’ll stay here, he’s cooperated from the beginning of these allegations,” Merriman said.

County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said the fact that he’s been charged changes the calculus for whether Casto is a flight risk.

“I think he is a threat to society, based on the allegations against him,” Lefebure said.

Beane ruled Casto would remain in custody without bond. He is being held at the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County.

Read more in Tuesday’s edition.