Carlos Guadalupe Leon Soto and the area where Jose Gutierrez’s remains were recovered (Phoenix PD and KSAZ screenshot)
A 30-year-old man in Arizona has been arrested for allegedly dismembering his friend’s body, flushing his organs down the toilet, and stuffing the remains inside multiple trash bags which he then left to rot in a Phoenix alleyway.
Carlos Guadalupe Leon Soto was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with one count each of hindering prosecution, tampering with evidence, and abandonment or concealment of a dead body, authorities announced. According to a press release from the Phoenix Police Department, investigators identified the deceased victim as 34-year-old Jose Gutierrez.
The investigation began at about 2:30 p.m. on June 28 when officers with the Phoenix Police Department responded to a call regarding “unknown trouble,” during which the caller told the dispatcher they could “smell a foul odor” coming from a bag located in the area of 39th Avenue and McDowell Road. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located and opened the bag, which appeared to contain human remains.
PPD detectives were dispatched to the scene and set up a perimeter around the bag before confirming that bag was filled with human remains. Two additional bags were located next to the original bag, both of which also contained human remains.
According to a police report obtained by Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO-TV, investigators emptied the contents of the bag and found that there was no head. The remains were sent to the crime lab where investigators were able to identify the victim as Gutierrez.
Investigators obtained surveillance camera footage from the area that reportedly showed a man resembling Soto walking by the area where the bags were left and entering a nearby apartment complex. Police showed the photo to residents of the building and were able to identify him as Soto.
Officers took Soto into custody on July 18 and took him to police headquarters for processing. In a post-Miranda interview with detectives, police say Soto admitted that he knew Gutierrez, explaining that they met around June 19 when Gutierrez came into the Mexican food store where Soto was working, Phoenix Fox affiliate KSAZ-TV reported.
He reportedly claimed that Gutierrez then stayed at his house and slept in bed with him for three days, though he denied the two ever engaged in any sexual activity. He also reportedly claimed that Gutierrez died of a drug overdose while staying at his home, which he shared with two other people.
“Approximately three days after meeting, [Soto] stated that [Gutierrez] overdosed inside his apartment,” court documents state, per KSAZ. “The overdose occurred while [Soto’s roommates] were out of town for several days.”
Fearing he may be deported if police became involved, Soto reportedly said he wanted to get rid of Gutierrez so he “threw him away.”
He told police that he spent hours dismembering Gutierrez’s body inside of his apartment with a kitchen knife, KHPO reported. He reportedly confessed to removing the man’s organs, chopping them up into smaller pieces, and then flushing them down the toilet. He then placed the remaining body parts in a bag, placed the bags in a wagon, and dropped them off in the alleyway.
Soto then reportedly admitted to cleaning up the residence and getting rid of the evidence.
Following the interview, police say Soto showed them where he had dumped Gutierrez’s head, which was recovered.
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