Man Arrested After Decomposing Body Found: Tampa Police

TAMPA, FL — A man was arrested in connection with the death of a 35-year-old man whose body was found Friday morning, according to a Tampa Police Department news release.

Andre Aris, 29, was charged with first-degree murder and grand theft motor vehicle. He remains at Orient Road Jail.

Officers responded to reports of a body in the 17000 block of Dona Michelle Drive just before noon, police said.

Investigators used a Florida driver’s license to identify the body, which was found in an advanced stage of decomposition. The victim hasn’t publicly been named.

Detectives learned that before the incident, the victim was living in his car, a red 2006 Dodge Charger and found that the vehicle was being driven by someone else.

On Saturday, they found the car parked at a home in the 17000 block of Madison Creek Drive, where officers took Aris into custody, police said.

Leading up to the incident, Aris confirmed to detectives that he had met the victim one month prior, and claimed that a week before his death, the victim gave him the Dodge Charger to sell.

In a later interview, Aris told investigators that the person he received the vehicle from didn’t look like the victim, although based on evidence collected, he was in possession of several of the victim’s photo ID cards.

Near the location where the victim was found, detectives executed a search warrant at a storage facility and nearby hotel, police said. In both locations evidence was found that ultimately connected Aris to the murder.