CHARLESTON, Ill. (WAND) - A Charleston murder suspect is accused of stabbing a woman in the neck and hiding her body has pled not guilty. 

Court documents indicated, Joshua Fairchild plead not guilty in court on Thursday, July 38. Fairchild is accused of murdering a woman in her Charleston home. 

In a sworn affidavit obtained by WAND News on Wednesday, police said they were performing a well-being check on the evening of June 25 at 802 Jackson Ave. after the victim's mother reported she hadn't heard from her daughter, Cheleta Branch, in a month. The mother said Branch lived at this address. 

Officers arrived on the scene and reported a decomposition smell. They said they made contact with 26-year-old Fairchild, who told them they could not come in and needed a search warrant. 

Authorities came back with a signed warrant and entered the address. The smell became stronger, police said, and authorities noticed a "large pile of clothing" in the living room and across the doorway into the bedroom.

Officers said they uncovered layers until they found human feet exposed. They then contacted the Coles County coroner. 

When questioned about what happened, police said Fairchild told them in a timeline of around April 20, May 20 or late April, he was in a verbal argument with Branch that turned physical. He claimed she cut his hand with a knife before he stabbed her in the neck with a chef's knife. According to the affidavit, Fairchild said he stabbed the victim at least one other time in the neck and "possibly other places on her head." 

Fairchild said he allowed the victim to bleed out to make sure she was dead, per the affidavit. He said he put her in a chokehold on top of that. When he knew she was dead, Fairchild told authorities he then started covering her up. 

Fairchild said he at one point uncovered the victim and painted her toenails and braided her hair. 

When authorities asked him why he didn't call police, he said a "dead body on the side of the street isn't a big deal" in L.A. 

According to the coroner, the victim's body, which was face down, had been in that position "for quite some time", and possibly as long as weeks. Investigators couldn't tell for sure due to an extreme heat in the residence with no air conditioning. In addition, the body and coverings were reported to be wet, and the coroner said someone may have been dumping a liquid on the body and coverings to keep them damp. 

Police said they found a mop in the bathroom connected to the bedroom where the victim was, a bottle of fingernail polish in a pink or reddish color and several knives, including a serrated knife with a broken tip. In the living room near the body, authorities found a bottle of fabric freshener and a can of air freshener. 

Fairchild is charged with first degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death in Coles County and remains in custody. 

A copy of the sworn affidavit is attached to this story. Details in this document are graphic and could be disturbing to some.Â