STROUD TOWNSHIP -- A man from Monroe County was arraigned Tuesday on a charge of homicide.
Police believe James Bidwell of Tobyhanna Township killed his girlfriend in 2011 and made the death look like a suicide.
Bidwell is accused of strangling Kristen Wagner in June of 2011 at a scrap yard he owned near Stroudsburg.
Wagner's death was originally ruled a suicide, but the case was reopened in 2014 and investigators now believe it's a case of homicide.
"God has his hands around me and he will reveal the truth," said Bidwell as he walked into a magistrate's office in Stroud Township.
Bidwell is charged with homicide and tampering with evidence.
Police believe he staged the death of Kristen Wagner to make it look like a suicide. In June of 2011, her body was found hanging inside a trailer at the scrap yard Bidwell owns near Stroudsburg.
About a week later, Bidwell was locked up on drug charges in Monroe County.
The case involving Wagner was reopened two years ago after a person came forward and told police that Bidwell confessed to murdering Wagner.
According to court documents, investigators learned that Bidwell and Wagner had been in a relationship and used drugs together. They were even seen together the day Wagner's body was found.
The informant told investigators Bidwell said he choked Wagner at his scrap yard and then staged her death to make it look like she killed herself.
Tony Gizzo runs a spiritual program at the Monroe County jail. He's been talking with Bidwell for a few months. He tells Newswatch 16 Bidwell has never mentioned Wagner by name.
"He shared with me what was going on," said Gizzo. "He was kind of confident all along although he has had some weeks where he's been kind of subdued a little bit because of the magnitude of all of this, but he's confident because he didn't commit the crime."
A preliminary hearing for Bidwell is scheduled for next week. He is currently locked up in the Monroe County jail without bail.
