Oklahoma man charged with murder in beheading

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Authorities have charged an Oklahoma man with first-degree murder in the beheading of a Vaughan Foods plant worker.

Cleveland County prosecutor Greg Mashburn announced the charges Tuesday against 30-year-old Alton Nolen. The attack killed 54-year-old Colleen Hufford, and 43-year-old Traci Johnson was repeatedly stabbed. Johnson survived the attack.

Nolen had been fired from the company just before he walked into the plant’s administrative office in suburban Oklahoma City on Thursday and attacked the women. The company’s chief operating officer, who is also a reserve sheriff’s deputy, shot Nolen, stopping the attack, police said.

Nolen’s family says he recently had converted to Islam. Mashburn said federal authorities were still investigating whether there was any connection.