CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Kanawha County man accused of strangling his co-worker to death and hiding her body in his backyard for two years tried to kill himself Wednesday morning by falling from a second-story railing, jail administrators said.

Charles Eugene March, 60, of Chesapeake, climbed onto the second-story railing of his South Central Regional Jail pod at about 7 a.m., said Steven Crook, acting administrator at the jail.

March then "fell backward" and landed about 15 feet below on the concrete floor, said Paul O'Dell, Regional Jail Authority deputy director.

March was taken to CAMC General Hospital where he remained Wednesday night, Crook said. He did not know the extent of March's injuries, but said they are not life-threatening.

O'Dell said March will be placed in the jail's medical unit and closely watched when he's released from the hospital.

March has an arraignment hearing Friday on charges of first-degree murder and concealment of a dead body. He was arrested on April 25 in the 2010 slaying of Sheila "Kathy" Goble, 62. Police said March strangled Goble to death then kept her body buried behind his trailer for two years. The two had worked together for about 10 years at Kelley's Mens Shop on the West Side.

March's son discovered the body while doing yard work for his father, police said. Police said March admitted to the slaying but have not released a possible motive.

March had been held in a pod for pre-trial felons. O'Dell said other inmates saw the fall and guards responded immediately after hearing the commotion.

Reach Travis Crum at travis.c...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5163.