A California man has been charged with murder after police said he killed his landlord during a dispute and later dumped her body in bushes at a nearby park.
Landlord Reported Missing
According to the Chula Vista Police Department, the investigation began Sunday afternoon after officers conducted a welfare check at a home in Chula Vista, a suburb near San Diego.
Police said a woman contacted authorities after her sister went missing while visiting their mother’s house to speak with a tenant identified as 41-year-old Robert Watkins.
When officers arrived, they found the victim’s vehicle outside the home but could not locate her.
Police Found Evidence of Violence
Investigators said they discovered signs inside the home indicating that someone had been seriously injured.
Watkins was quickly identified as a suspect, and police later questioned him about the woman’s disappearance.
According to authorities, Watkins admitted to killing his landlord and disposing of her body nearby, but initially refused to reveal the location.
Body Found Near Park
Shortly after the interview, a person walking a dog noticed something suspicious in bushes at Paseo Del Rey Park, located across the street from the home.
Police responded to the area and discovered the victim’s body hidden in the bushes.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the victim or revealed how she was killed.
Murder Charge Filed
Watkins was arrested and booked into the San Diego County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
Police described the incident as stemming from a landlord-tenant dispute, though additional details about the disagreement have not been released.
Watkins is expected to appear in court on Thursday as the investigation continues.
