ALLISON - Mark D. Becker of Parkersburg late Tuesday was formally charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Aplington-Parkersburg teacher and coach Ed Thomas.

Becker, 24, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail, but will be brought back to Allison to face the charges next Tuesday morning.

Judge Stephen Carroll continued Becker's cash-only bond in the amount of $1 million.

A second charge of eluding or attempting to elude while participating in a felony also was filed against Becker. The pertains to the three-county chase in which he was involved June 20, which ended in Butler County near Allison. That charge is a Class D felony punishable upon conviction of up to five years in prison.

Becker was being chased after allegedly vandalising a Cedar Falls home. Charges for that incident have not been filed.

Becker is the man accused of entering the Aplington-Parkersburg makeshift weight room in Parkersburg about 7:45 a.m. June 24 and shooting Thomas several times. Thomas died later at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo.

No motive for the slaying has been stated.

Thomas' funeral and burial was attended by thousands Monday, and he will be portrayed on the cover of the upcoming Sports Illustrated. He was an extremely successfuly football coach, having produced four current NFL players, who all returned to Parkersburg to serve as casket bearers at his funeral.