Man arrested after roommate found buried in backyard of their Southern California home

A man was arrested Tuesday after authorities discovered his roommate’s body buried in the backyard of their Riverside home, police said Friday.

Officers were sent to the home on the 8700 block of Sylvan Drive in the Arlanza neighborhood following reports that a resident had not been seen or heard from for several days, the Riverside Police Department stated.

“During their initial investigation, officers learned that one of the occupants had made statements claiming he killed his roommate,” police said.

Richard Thomas Martinez, 48, was detained while detectives searched the backyard for a possible crime scene.

Cadaver canines alerted to some freshly disturbed soil where detectives found the remains of 31-year-old Bradley Minder.

Investigators believe Martinez killed Minder during an altercation and then buried his body in the backyard. There was no word on what the dispute may have been about.

Martinez was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder. He is being held without bail, police said.