Body of missing 64-year-old woman found stuffed in duffel bag, Arizona police say

A missing 64-year-old woman’s body may have been hidden inside a duffel bag in a Kingman storage unit for months, Arizona police say.

Police made the grisly discovery after learning a man withdrew money from her accounts after she had gone missing, police said in a news release. He also was seen driving her vehicle.

Detectives arrested Brett Daniel Puett, 35 of Kingman, Friday evening on suspicion of murder and other charges in connection with her death.

The woman’s son notified the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office on May 12 that he had not heard from his mother, who was living in her vehicle in Kingman, for several months.

An investigation discovered Puett had been removing money from her accounts and driving her vehicle, police reported.

On Friday, police searched two storage units owned by the woman and found a body inside a duffel bag in one, the release said. Investigators believe it to be the missing woman, although her identity must be confirmed by the county medical examiner.

Detectives learned Puett was staying at a home in Kingman and arrested him at 6 p.m. when he arrived there driving the missing woman’s vehicle, police say.

Puett shot and killed the woman in November while they were platonically sharing a Kingman motel room, police said.

Detectives ask that anyone with information on the case call (928) 753-2191.

This story was originally published May 30, 2021 at 8:41 AM with the headline "Body of missing 64-year-old woman found stuffed in duffel bag, Arizona police say."