Burglary investigation, ‘mummified’ body found
(CNN) - A startling discovery for police investigating a home that had been burglarized in Arizona, a mummified body found in a bathtub.
Police don't know how long ago the homeowner died but as Chase Golightly reports it had to be months.
A horrifying discovery.
"This is definitely an unusual circumstance."
A woman's lifeless body, described as looking mummified by police.
"The body just appeared as though it had been there for an extended period of time."
It started as a burglary call in this Bullhead City neighborhood Saturday.
"A citizen called it in. Went to look inside the residence. If the door was open, there was pry marks on the door," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
Detective Robin Holstrom says officers found 65-year-old Christine Lee Walters rummaging through the house.
"I actually interviewed her. And she said that she was removing items from the residence," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
Stealing purses and clothes.
"And she had been there two days previous on the eighth in the evening and also removed items on that day too," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
Thinking no one was there, but that wasn't the case.
"There was a little bit of an odor in the residence when I arrived," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
Officers searching the rest of the house for the owner when they got to the bathroom.
"They did locate a deceased subject in the bathtub," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
When they asked the suspect is she knew.
"She claimed that she was not aware of it," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
Neither did those living right next door.
"The neighbors believed that the homeowner had moved maybe about a year ago or so," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
At this time police don't believe there was any foul play but given the state of the body.
"We don't know how long it's been in there?"
"No," Detective Robin Holstrom said.
But Rebecca Wallace with Bio-one, which specializes in responding to these kinds of scenes says.
BUT REBECCA WALLACE WITH BIO-ONE, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN RESPONDING TO THESE KINDS OF SCENES SAYS.
"It can happen as quick as two months, that mummification process can start."//"The organs are actually packed inside of the body, as well as the skin. So everything is preserved inside the body," said Rebecca Wallace.
"No one coming in that house, and there was no air conditioning, I'm assuming, or heat running. So the air itself was extremely dry. And when you have that really dry environment that will that's what helps preserve the body naturally," said Rebecca Wallace.
Authorities are still waiting for the medical examiner to identify the woman and the cause of death.
They say this is an ongoing investigation.
