Update: Suspect accused in slaying claims former University of Michigan professor sexually assaulted him

INDIANAPOLIS - An Indiana University professor who previously taught at the University of Michigan was stabbed to death in his Bloomington home in an attack that police said was motivated by an incident on Christmas Day. A man authorities called a recent acquaintance was being held on a murder charge.

The victim was Don Belton, an assistant professor of English at IU, English Department chairman Jonathan Elmer said Tuesday. Authorities had not immediately identified the 53-year-old man found dead on Monday.

Michael J. Griffin, 25, of Bloomington was being held without bond Tuesday in the Monroe County Jail on a charge of murder. An initial court hearing was set for Wednesday.

Bloomington police Lt. David Drake said Griffin and Belton were recently acquainted. "I don't think they knew each other well, at least not for a long period of time," he said.

Police believe the slaying stemmed from a Christmas Day incident at Griffin's home, he said. Drake said Belton was stabbed "at least five or six" times in the back and several times in the front of the torso.

A friend who came to Belton's house found his body in the kitchen on Monday, Drake said. Police who were called to the scene found both doors unlocked and no signs of forced entry. Nothing was missing, he said.

Investigators decided to talk to Griffin because he was one of the last people mentioned in the victim's journal, Drake said, then got information that led them to consider him a possible suspect. Officers who searched Griffin's home Monday night found a 10-inch-long military style knife believed to have been used in the killing, Drake said.

According to the IU Web site, Belton had formerly taught at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania; the University of Michigan; Macalester College and the University of Pennsylvania and had lectured at the Sorbonne. He was also a published author who had written for Newsweek and The Advocate and edited an anthology of essays on black masculinity.

Elmer said in a statement that Belton's friends, colleagues and students were "shocked and terribly saddened by the news of his death."

"His great talents as a writer, his extraordinary generosity to his students, and his warmth of personality were gifts to us all. We will miss him terribly," the statement said.

Belton had taught at IU since fall 2008, the statement said.

Drake said the victim had lived in the home for about six months. Neighbor Luis Roncayolo said Belton was a good neighbor.

"Very nice guy," he told Indianapolis television station WTHR. "Very outgoing. Nice to meet. Wanting to talk to people. Nice to meet and deal with," he said.