CENTRALIA — Centralia police have arrested both the suspect and the victim in connection with a Christmas Eve 2019 stabbing in Centralia.

According to Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson, 23-year-old Justin Landreth, of Salem, was arrested Wednesday on charges of armed robbery and aggravated battery for allegedly stabbing 24-year-old Kody Biegeleisen, of Central City. The Marion County State’s Attorney’s Office, however, released Landreth pending further investigation.

Chief Dodson says that Biegeleisen reported to police that he had been stabbed near McCord and East Broadway as part of an attempted carjacking. He said a black man wearing a mask stabbed him multiple times when he refused to give him his vehicle. Dodson says the report triggered a widespread search by the Centralia, Central City and Wamac police departments.

However, after a two-month investigation involving cell phone dumps and a search warrant being executed at a Salem address, it was suspected Biegeleisen was involved in a sex for money/drugs arrangement. According to Dodson, the female subject involved eventually cooperated with the investigation.

When Biegeleisen met the female, she was accompanied by two male subjects, one of whom was apparently Landreth. They then allegedly robbed Beigeleisen, with Landreth stabbing Beigeleisen multiple times one witness said.

Biegeleisen was subsequently arrested Thursday on a charge of felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report about what led to his stabbing. He was released after being given a notice to appear in court.