A man who is in the United States illegally has confessed to dismembering the body of a man who died in his apartment out of fear of being deported, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
The incident came to light on June 28 when officers responded to a call regarding a foul odor emanating from two bags in an alley in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon investigation, they discovered human remains in one of the bags, which were later identified as belonging to 34-year-old Jose Gutierrez.
Through surveillance video, the police were able to identify a suspect and subsequently located him at a nearby apartment complex. On July 18, they arrested 30-year-old Carlos Guadalupe Leon Soto, who, during questioning, admitted to dismembering Gutierrez's body but denied killing him.
According to the police, Soto claimed that he had met Gutierrez around June 19 while working at a Mexican food store. Although they shared a bed, Soto denied any sexual relationship between them.
Court documents reveal that Gutierrez died of an overdose approximately three days later while Soto's roommates were away. Fearing deportation, Soto confessed to disposing of Gutierrez's body, stating that he "threw him away."
Prosecutors allege that Soto used a kitchen knife to dismember Gutierrez's body, flushing some of his organs down the toilet before storing the severed body parts in plastic and garbage bags. Investigators discovered severed arms, legs, and the lower torso of the victim inside two trash bags. Soto also led investigators to the location of the victim's severed head.
Soto now faces three felony charges: abandonment or concealment of a dead body, tampering with physical evidence, and hindering prosecution. The case highlights the complex issues surrounding illegal immigration and the desperate measures some individuals may resort to out of fear of deportation.
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