Jeffery Wade Chapman, 30, was arrested Monday for the alleged murder of 25-year-old Damon Galyardt, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Galyardt’s body was found by hunters on Nov. 12, 2011. According to a statement issued by the BCSO, the investigation has been under way since Galyardt’s body was found lying in a ditch south of Great Bend. That investigation led to BCSO detectives Rick Popp and David Paden placing Chapman under arrest on the charge of first degree murder, at 9:50 a.m. Monday.

The case was forwarded to the Barton County Attorney’s Office, which was expected to file the formal charges later in the day.

Chapman, who goes by the alias "Chappy," has been in custody since Nov. 15, 2011, when he was arrested on unrelated charges. Officials said he was considered a "person of interest" in the case at that time. "Pending laboratory results, the receipt of subpoenaed telephone records and the numerous interviews conducted slowed the progression of the investigation."

Bond for Chapman has been set at $1 million.

Assisting law enforcement agencies on the case are the Great Bend Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Rice County Sheriff’s Office.