OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Oklahoma City Police announced the arrest of a 22-year-old man, Juan Lopez-Aldana, following the unearthing of a body from the backyard of an Oklahoma City residence, marking a shocking case of alleged first-degree murder.
Valley Brook Police initially received information from a witness about a possible murder and the likely location of the buried body. The information got passed to the Oklahoma City police, leading to the arrest of Lopez-Aldana and the recovery of the body at Southeast 59th Street and Bryant Avenue on Tuesday. Lopez-Aldana has since been incarcerated in the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
Investigators from the Oklahoma City Police Department and the medical examiner dug for hours on Wednesday morning. Sgt. Dillon Quirk of the Oklahoma City Police Department stated that the excavation process appeared complete with the understanding that the residence housed a single victim.
The considerable police presence in the area led to wary neighbors venturing out to assess the situation. The escalating events seriously disturbed some neighbors, sparking discussions about moving out of the neighborhood.
During a welfare check at the residence, the officers found evident signs of a criminal act. The police stated that an ensuing interview provided them with substantial cause to suspect that Lopez-Aldana was instrumental in the death and disappearance of his roommate following a disagreement.
While awaiting formal identification of the body by the Medical Examiner’s Office, neighborhood reactions range from shock to disbelief.