John Butler, charged in the stabbing death of a 31-year-old Roanoke Rapids man, was given a $100,000 bond following his first appearance in court Wednesday.

Major Bruce Temple of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Butler, 46, allegedly stabbed Jeremy “Jay” Hecht three times, once in the heart, once on the left side and once in the arm following an argument at a hunt club on Old Halifax Road.

The left arm wound, Temple said, appeared to be a defensive wound.

Witnesses at a gathering at the club stopped the attack, which occurred after there had a been series of arguments throughout the evening.

The sheriff’s office received the call shortly before 2:45 Wednesday morning. Temple said a knife was found at the scene and the wounds Hecht received were consistent with a knife.

Temple declined to elaborate on what the argument was about.

He said the place where the stabbing occurred used to a house but is now used as a hunt club.

Alcohol was being consumed at the gathering. Temple said there have been no complaint calls at the club before the murder.

When the sheriff’s office arrived they found Hecht seriously injured from the stab wounds. He was taken to Halifax Regional Medical Center where he later died.

Temple said Hecht and Butler were well acquainted.