A California man has been charged with murder after police found the body of his roommate buried in his back yard.

Riverside Police said officers responded to a home in Arlanza neighborhood on Tuesday after they were told that a resident hadn’t been seen in several days. While investigating, they learned that Richard Thomas Martinez had made statements claiming to have killed his roommate.

Police detained Martinez and a preliminary search of the property revaled a potential crime scene in the back yard.

The Riverside Sheriff’s Office sent cadaver dogs to the scene, and they alerted to “freshly disturbed soil” behind the house. Detectives began to dig in the area and quickly found human remains.

The remains were identified as belonging to 31-year-old Bradley Minder, who had lived at the home.

A preliminary investigation said that Martinez killed Minder during an altercationa nd buried him in the backyard.

Martinez has been charged with murder and is being held without bond. He made an initial court appearance on Friday.

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[Featured image: Richard Thomas Martinez/Riverside Police Department]