RIVERSIDE, CA – A Riverside man was taken into custody Tuesday after authorities uncovered the body of his roommate buried in their backyard, according to police announcements on Friday.
Officers responded to the residence on the 8700 block of Sylvan Drive in the Arlanza neighborhood after receiving reports about a resident who had been out of contact for several days.
Upon arrival, Riverside Police Department officers discovered that one of the home’s occupants had reportedly admitted to killing his roommate.
Richard Thomas Martinez, 48, was detained as investigators began a search of the property for evidence of a crime.
Police dogs trained to detect human remains indicated the presence of something amiss in a patch of freshly disturbed earth in the backyard, leading detectives to locate the body of 31-year-old Bradley Minder.
Detectives suspect that Martinez fatally attacked Minder during a confrontation, subsequently burying him behind their shared home. Details surrounding the nature of their dispute have not been released.
Martinez was arrested and is currently facing murder charges. He is being held without bail pending further investigation, according to police officials.