A man has been arrested after a woman’s body was found in a sports bag that had been hidden inside a storage unit for several months.

The incident began on May 12 when Debra Lynn Childers, 64, was reported missing in the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office by her son who lives out of state and had not heard from his mother for several months but knew she lived in the Kingman. and the Golden Valley area of ​​Arizona.

A police investigation into Childers, who apparently lived out of his car, found that a man had withdrawn money from his bank account in recent months, but without any sign of Childers.

“During the week of May 24, detectives from the KPD (Kingman Police Department) began investigating the cash withdrawals and attempting to identify the subject making the withdrawals,” the police department said. from Kingman in a press release. “This subject was also determined to be driving the victim’s vehicle. There was an immediate concern for the welfare of the children.

During the investigation, authorities were able to locate two storage units belonging to Childers and issued search warrants to inspect them on Friday, May 28.

It was then that the Kingman Police Department made the gruesome discovery.

“Once inside, detectives found a corpse believed to be Debra Childers,” KPD said. “The body had been concealed in a large gym bag and appeared to have been inside the storage unit for several months. Based on evidence and information, investigators believe the body is Debra Lynn Childers, but official identification must be made by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Childers’ family have been informed of the discovery of the body.

Detectives identified Brett Daniel Puett, 35, as the individual who drove his car and had made withdrawals from Childers’ bank account over the previous months and, with the assistance of the Mohave County Sherriff’s office as well as MAGNET detectives, Puett was found and taken into custody without incident around 5 p.m. on May 28 after arriving at his home behind the wheel of Childers’ vehicle.

“Investigators have learned that Puett and Childers met last summer, when they were both living out of their vehicle,” the Kingman Police Department said. “Childers was gunned down sometime in November while Puett and Childers were sharing a room in a motel in… Kingman. It is believed that their relationship was platonic.

Authorities say Puett has since admitted his involvement in the murder and the cash withdrawals, as well as transporting and hiding his body in the storage unit for several months.

Puett has been charged with the crimes of second degree murder, abandonment and concealment of a corpse, and fraudulent schemes and devices.

No further suspects are wanted and Puett has been enrolled in the Mohave County Adult Detention Center as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information that may be of assistance is urged to contact KPD Detectives by calling (928) 753-2191.