Man arrested in connection with murder of man whose remains were found in the sewer

PHOENIX - Nearly four years after a man's body was found in a Phoenix sewer line, an arrest has been made in the case. 

The suspect, identified as Francisco Antonio Fuentes, was taken into custody on Monday. The arrest came four years after remains were found, and almost five years after the alleged crime happened.

The body was found in July 2016 in the area of 55th Avenue and Dobbins in Laveen, after sewage began backing up into an area resident's home.

"They knew that it wasn't an actual part of the home that was causing it, so the Water Department came out around nine," said Officer James Holmes with the phoenix Police Department, during an interview in 2016. "They removed some of the manhole covers looking for the blockage. Once they find the blockage, they realize it's actually human remains."

Police were later able to identify the body, via analysis, as that of Victor Carillo-Gamez. According to court documents, Carillo-Gamez was last seen alive in March 2015, when he was going to visit Fuentes. Carillo-Gamez' car was found on fire later that same day.

According to police, Fuentes told friends and family three days later that he had to go to Mexico because he had killed someone.

Police eventually used cell phone data to learn that the suspect and victim's phone were in the same area of both the burned car and where the remains were ultimately found. Officials say it's likely Fuentes was going back and forth between Phoenix and Mexico over the years.

Fuentes is expected back in court later in March.