KINGMAN, AZ — A Kingman man was arrested this week on suspicion of murder for allegedly killing a woman and hiding her body in a duffel bag inside a storage unit for months.
The Kingman Police Department said 35-year-old Brett Puett, of Kingman, was arrested Friday on multiple felony charges that include second-degree murder, abandonment, and concealment of a dead body.
Authorities said on May 12, 64-year-old Debra Childers was reported missing to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office.
Childers' son told authorities he had not heard from his mother for several months and knew she lived in the area of Kingman and Golden Valley.
Childers was reported to be primarily living out of her car.
Police said an MCSO investigation revealed a man had been withdrawing money from Childers' bank account over the last several months.
This week, Kingman police detectives began to investigate the withdrawals and also determined that the individual was driving the Childers' vehicle.
Detectives found two storage units that belonged to Childers.
On Friday, detectives searched the storage units and located a body believed to be Childers.
Authorities said the body had been hidden in a large duffel bag and appeared to have been inside the storage unit for months.
During the investigation, authorities said Puett was identified as the person driving Childers' car and making the withdrawals from her bank account as well. Investigators learned that Puett was staying at a home near Bank Street and Northern Avenue.
Later that Friday, Puett was found and taken into custody. Police said Puett had arrived at the home allegedly driving Childers' vehicle.
Investigators learned Puett and Childers met each other last summer while both of them were living out of their vehicles.
Police believe Childers was reportedly shot and killed in November while Puett and Childers were sharing a room at a motel near State Route 60 and U.S. 40 in Kingman.
Authorities said they believe their relationship was platonic.
Police said Puett allegedly admitted being involved in the killing, the money withdrawals, and transporting and concealing Childers' body.
No other details were revealed and no other suspects are being sought regarding this incident.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingman police at (928) 753-2191.
An investigation remains ongoing.
