Phoenix police have made an arrest in connection to human remains that were found in a Phoenix alley last month.
On June 28, Phoenix police officers responded to the area of 39th Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix where someone had found two large trash bags containing human remains.
Upon investigation, detectives located a total of three large black trash bags and one grocery bag, all of which had human remains inside.
Maricopa County Examiner’s Office was able to identify the victim as 34-year-old Jose Gutierrez through
Carlos Leon Soto
fingerprints.
During the investigation, detectives were able to access surveillance video which showed a man walking in the area where the remains were found. Police showed the video people in the neighborhood, and they were able to recognized the man as a resident of a neighboring apartment complex.
Investigators spoke with an additional witness who was able to identify and name the suspect as Carlos Leon Soto.
After detectives conducted surveillance on the suspect and interviewed additional witnesses, police were able to apprehend Soto on July 18 near 43rd Avenue and McDowell.
During the police interrogation, Soto acknowledged meeting Gutierrez while working together. He divulged to detectives that three days after meeting each other, Gutierrez overdosed in his apartment. According to court documents, Soto said he feared deportation and “threw him away.”
Police believe Soto dismembered his body over a period of several hours while his roommates were out of town. Soto then used a wagon to move the trash bags to the alleyway where the remains were discovered.
Soto admitted to police that he cleaned the apartment and threw away all of the cleaning items afterwards.
Soto was booked into jail on several charges including concealment of a dead body, destroying evidence, and hindering prosecution. Murder charges have not yet been filed.
