Feb. 24—MONTANDON — A 22-year-old man Montandon area man is in custody and faces murder charges after police say he stabbed a Northumberland County man to death in an altercation Friday night.

State police say Preston Bennett faces a felony criminal homicide charge. State police say he stabbed 28-year-old Kyle Christensen three times in the abdomen, causing his death after an altercation in the Montandon area.

Police arrested Bennett on the criminal homicide charge this morning. He appeared in front of Mount Carmel District Judge Bill Cole, police said. Bennett was denied bail.

Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn confirmed Christensen was pronounced dead at Geisinger Medical Center, in Danville at 5:35 a.m. Saturday.

State police say the incident began Friday evening. The first emergency dispatch came in at 5:51 p.m. for a report of a male stabbing victim, who had been stabbed multiple times in the torso, according to a criminal complaint.

Jessica Naschke said in court documents, police learned Christensen just ended a long-term relationship with a woman at the end of January, who then began a relationship with Bennett.

According to court documents, the woman said drug use and controlling behavior from Bennett caused several issues in their relationship and she recently had a plan with Christensen to reconcile.

The woman said Bennett grew suspicious of her being unfaithful, police reported. The woman allegedly told troopers Bennett expressed wanting to “gut” Christensen over the issues, police said.

Troopers said the woman allegedly warned Christensen of the threat, according to court documents.

At around 5:30 p.m. Friday, troopers said Christensen arrived in the area of the woman’s residence on Main Street, in West Chillisquaque Township and both the woman and Bennett observed Christensen outside the home, troopers said.

The woman told police she sent a text message to Christensen to warn him that Bennett wanted to fight, troopers said.

Bennett met up with Christensen in an alley, where the two engaged in a short verbal altercation before the incident turned physical. During the altercation, police said Bennett stabbed Christensen three times in the abdomen with a knife, according to a criminal complaint.

Bennett walked up to the woman after the incident and allegedly said, “You made me stab Christensen three times,” troopers said.

Christensen was transported from the scene to Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg before he was airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center, where he later died from the injuries, troopers said.

Bennett will now appear before Milton District Judge Mike Diehl at a later date.