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Arizona Police Responding To Burglary-In-Progress Find Mummified Body In Bathtub
Christine Walters was arrested for allegedly burglarizing a property, where the mummified remains of the apparent homeowner were discovered by police.
Police in Arizona were surprised when, as they were responding to a call of a burglary-in-progress, they found a mummified body.
Officers with the Police Department in Bullhead City — about 100 miles south of Las Vegas near the Nevada and California borders — were called to a residence at the 100 block of Palm Avenue at around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. There, police found 65-year-old Christine Lee Walters “rummaging through the property.”
“A woman was arrested for burglarizing a house and, while police were on scene investigating, a mummified deceased body was located in the bathtub,” police stated.
Although the human remains have yet to be officially identified by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office, police said the corpse “is believed to be the homeowner.”
Upon arriving at the home, authorities also found “pry marks” on the door, indicating forced entry, according to police.
They have since learned Walters was allegedly involved in a Sept. 8 incident during which she allegedly entered the residence and stole the “victim’s” purses, bags and clothing before attempting to sell the merchandise online."
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Little was released about the deceased person in the bathtub. A police spokesperson told NBC News that they’ve so far been unable to contact the decedent’s next of kin, and there was no missing person’s report matching the individual’s description.
Although investigators aren’t yet sure how long ago the alleged homeowner died, neighbors reported they hadn’t seen her for “about a year” and had “assumed she moved away.”
Bullhead City investigators were issued a warrant to search Walters’ residence and vehicle, and found more property that belonged to the apparently deceased homeowner, included the woman's birth certificate, IRS paperwork, driver’s license and credit cards, police said.
A “useable amount” of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia was also recovered from Walter's residence.
Police still don't how the homeowner died and what, if any, connection Walters may have have had to the deceased woman or her property.
Following her arrest, Walters allegedly told investigators she was unaware of a body in the residence, according to NBC News. She also claimed she had known the homeowner, whose she said she believed had relocated to Colorado, and that she had permission to enter the Arizona dwelling.
Walters was been booked into the Mohave County jail in Kingman, Arizona for two counts of burglary. Detectives are requesting additional criminal charges against her, including credit card theft, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
