Police in Hollywood have arrested one of two men who they say are responsible for the death of a man whose decomposed body was found in a closet.
Police said that on Sept. 10 during Hurricane Irma, Travis Watson, 30, engaged in group sex with the victim, Ariel Gonzalez, and a man named Jacob Mitchell, who is still at large, the Miami Herald reports.
Watson told police that Mitchell was angry with Gonzalez for cheating on him with Watson alone after they had all engaged in sexual activity earlier, police said. Out of anger, Mitchell beat Gonzalez with a hanger and broomstick then poured hot grease on his head, according to the Herald.
Watson admitted to police that he punched Gonzalez in the face, asking him where he kept his money. He said he also helped Mitchell tie Gonzalez’s hands behind his back with a belt as Mitchell poured the hot grease over him, but Watson claims he tried to stop him, according to the Herald.
Officers found Gonzalez’s body on Sept. 13 after a friend reported his disappearance and “noticed a foul odor” at his apartment, the Herald reports.
Police said Gonzalez’s body was wrapped in bedsheets “with a small portion of his head visible,” the Herald reports. Neighbors identified Watson and Mitchell to police when they saw them leaving Gonzalez’s apartment during Hurricane Irma.
Watson remains at the Broward County Jail on charges of kidnapping in commission or facilitation of a felony, failure to report a death, and robbery without a firearm. He is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Police have described Mitchell as about 5 feet and 6inches tall ad wearing a long, blond wig to hide his balding, the Herald reports.
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