Man charged in beating death of minister

Authorities charged a man with first-degree murder Tuesday in the beating of a minister of a rural county church.

Charles Vincent Cobler, 40, was held without bond pending arraignment in the death of Nancy Copin, Franklin County Sheriff W.Q. "Quint" Overton said. He said the hearing could happen Wednesday.

The body of Copin, 60, was found Thursday morning in her home _ the parsonage of Snow Creek Christian Church. A prosecutor said she died of blunt force trauma.

Cobler, who lives in a neighboring county, was arrested in Mentor, Ohio, on Sunday on unrelated charges and returned to Franklin County late Tuesday. Franklin authorities went to Ohio to assist in surveillance of a vehicle linked to Cobler.

Cobler waived extradition at a court appearance Monday.

Copin came to the tiny congregation about two years ago from a suburban church in Birmingham, Ala. Church members said she had traveled on several mission trips to Mexico, Cambodia and Africa in the past few years.

It was not clear Tuesday whether Cobler had a lawyer.