A Mesa caretaker is accused of killing the mentally unstable man he cared for because he believed the man was getting "too close" to his girlfriend.
On Wednesday, police received reports of a missing 34-year-old man. According to officials, the man reportedly had the mental capacity of a 15-year-old.
The victim was last seen at an apartment complex in the area of Broadway and Extension roads with 34-year-old Tiffany Warren and 42-year-old Jesse Dakins.
Police were unable to locate Warren and Dakins and the man was reported missing.
The following day, Mesa police received a call from the Winslow Police Department saying they had detained Dakins and Warren who were discovered in a stolen car, authorities said.
While being questioned by police, the couple allegedly made statements indicating that Dakins killed the missing man and his body was brought to a forest near Star Valley; a town located just east of Payson.
Warren allegedly told police that Dakins was jealous because she had been flirting with the victim, court paperwork said. Dakins allegedly told Warren that he needed to kill the man so that they could be together.
Detectives went to the Mesa apartment complex with a search warrant and found evidence consistent with the statements the man and woman made, police said.
Authorities determined that the apartment was previously "covered with blood and cleaned," court documents said.
On Thursday night, police went to Star Valley and found a body where Dakins and Warren said it would be, officials said. The body matched the physical description of the missing man.
Authorities say Warren and Dakins allegedly admitted to using methamphetamine before the murder occurred. They've both been charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a vulnerable adult and theft of means of transportation.
The victim's name was not immediately released and police say they're in contact with his family and will continue to update them as more information comes to light.
