Tucson man charged in connection to murder and concealment of remains
The Tucson Police Department made an arrest Thursday in an ongoing homicide investigation, which began as a suspicious death last year on Tucson’s southside.
On Sept. 2, Tucson police responded to an apartment complex located at 314 E. Benson Highway for a woman who was in distress. Tucson police declined to provide additional details on what the woman was calling for or why she was in distress.
Upon arrival, officers located the apartment and contacted the woman who called police. The woman identified herself as a visitor. Once officers entered the apartment, they located human remains, police said. It was noted that efforts had been made to conceal the remains, according to police. It is unclear how officers were able to enter the apartment.
Detectives say they were able to speak with the resident of the apartment over the phone; however, he did not return to the apartment and remained at large. The resident was identified as 57-year-old Victor Lawrence Farber.
Several days later, Tucson officers located and detained Farber. Detectives charged him and 45-year-old Kristina Barker, the female visitor, with concealment of a dead body.
In October, the Office of the Medical Examiner identified the human remains as those of 21-year-old Alexis Ochotorena. Investigators determined that the victim had sustained substantial trauma and was concealed for a significant amount of time, according to police.
In January, homicide detectives developed new information after searching for new leads, and probable cause for the homicide was established. Tucson police declined to provide additional information on how probable cause for homicide was established, citing the ongoing investigation.
On Jan. 26, detectives responded to the Pima County Jail, where Farber was still in custody, and charged him with first degree murder in connection to Ochotorena’s death. He is currently being held on a $1,005,000 bond.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tucson Police charged man of alleged murder and concealment of remains
