SONOMA, Calif. (AP) - A man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday after a body was found stuffed inside a plastic barrel that was dumped in front of Sonoma's city hall in California wine country, authorities said.
The blood-stained barrel was covered with a plastic tarp when it was discarded in front of the city hall late Friday. The discovery of a dead man stuffed inside the 55-gallon barrel led detectives to a mobile home park, where Sonoma County Sheriff's detectives said they believed Ronald Sauvageau, 64, was killed.
They served a search warrant at a home inside the park and arrested Christopher McNatt, 40, in the slaying.
An autopsy will be conducted Tuesday to determine the cause of Sauvageau's death.
Sheriff's Sgt. Cecile Focha told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat (http://bit.ly/1BkmxH3) that a weapon believed to be used in the killing was recovered, but she declined to elaborate on the type of weapon or the relationship between the two men.
"I can't speak to the motivations, but whoever decided to kill the person and bring his body there seems gruesome and disrespectful," Focha said.
McNatt was being held without bail pending a court appearance set for Tuesday.