Mummified body found in bathtub of burglarized Arizona home; suspect arrested

BULLHEAD CITY, AZ (AP) — Authorities are trying to identify a mummified body found in the bathtub of a northwestern Arizona home that had been burglarized. Bullhead City police said officers responded to a burglary in progress around 3:30 a.m. Saturday and reported finding 65-year-old Christine Lee Walters rummaging through items inside the house. They said there were pry marks on the door, indicating forced entry into the home, and Walters had been at the house for several days taking clothing, purses and other items she allegedly planned to sell online.

Neighbors told police they believed the house was vacant because the homeowner had not been seen for about a year and may have moved away. Police searched the house and said they found the body in a natural mummified state, which occurs when a corpse is exposed to very dry conditions that slow typical decomposition. It’s unknown how long the body had been in the bathtub and the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office will try to determine the cause of death.

Police said Walters told officers she didn’t know the body was in the house. Detectives searched Walters’ vehicle and house and reported finding the homeowner’s birth certificate, credit cards, driver’s license and income tax paperwork. Walters has been booked into jail on suspicion of two counts of burglary and police said they are seeking additional charges after methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found in her possession. It was unclear Thursday if Walters has a lawyer yet who can speak on her behalf.

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