A 53-year-old Utah man has been accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, placing her body in a trash bag, and hiding it in a shed near his apartment. Authorities have charged Arthuro Carrion with murder in connection to the death of Lesa Hyde, who was last seen in late December in Springville.
Law enforcement officials had been searching for Hyde since January 29, when a welfare alert was issued for her whereabouts. Investigators questioned Carrion early in the search as a person of interest. However, the case took a grim turn on Sunday when a witness contacted police, reporting a body inside a shed behind an apartment complex on Heather Lane in Provo.
Responding officers found Carrion in the front yard of the property and located two sheds in the backyard. When asked about the contents of the shed, he allegedly admitted, “a dead body.” Upon unlocking the shed, police were met with the undeniable smell of decomposition. Inside, they discovered multiple trash bags, one of which contained a human forearm.
Further investigation revealed that Carrion had contacted a witness the previous day, confessing that he had “done something wrong.” He reportedly mentioned Hyde’s name and gestured toward the sheds, implying that she was inside.
After being taken into custody, Carrion allegedly made incriminating statements, including, “should have never told that snitch.” Witnesses also reported hearing him reference a past family tragedy, stating that he “pulled a Rick,” a possible allusion to a relative who had previously committed a similar crime.
Carrion also seemed to blame law enforcement for his circumstances. When informed of his arrest for murder, he allegedly responded, “Officer Andrews is the one who caused all this,” referencing an officer who had arrested him on November 19 for domestic violence against Hyde.
Following his arrest, Carrion was booked into Utah County Jail, where he is being held without bond. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities gather further evidence in the case.
