(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater man was charged today with first-degree murder in the Saturday night fatal stabbing of a friend in the 100 block of W. Tyler Street.

The defendant, Kendell Paul Sparrow, 40, was ordered jailed without bail by Special District Judge Robert Hert at his arraignment this afternoon on a two-count charge including drug possession.

The victim, William W. Rivers, 31, of Stillwater, was stabbed in his upper left chest, Stillwater Police Captain Kyle Gibbs said in a news release.

The alleged killer was providing first aid to Rivers when police responded to an ambulance assistance call shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Gibbs said.

Rivers was taken to the Stillwater Medical Center for treatment before being transferred to the OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City where he died later Saturday night from his wound, Gibb said.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the men “were long-time acquaintances and friends and that they had gotten into a brief verbal and physical confrontation prior to the ambulance being summoned,” Gibbs said.

Sparrow has been scheduled to appear in court with an attorney on Nov. 23 on the first-degree murder charge, court records show.

Anyone with information regarding the fatal stabbing is asked to contact the Stillwater Police Department at 405-372-4171.

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