The case began with a landscaper’s May 2025 discovery in a backyard trash can.
PEORIA, Ariz. — A 34-year-old man was arrested after police traced human remains found in a suitcase in a Peoria backyard to someone who had been staying at the home, authorities said, closing the first major gap in an investigation that started in May 2025.
Police identified the suspect as Damian Camacho and said he was booked on charges of abandonment or concealment of a dead body. The arrest, made Feb. 17, comes after months of investigative work following the discovery of decomposing remains. Investigators have not publicly named the victim or said how the person died.
The case began May 28, 2025, when a landscaper working at a Peoria property cleaned out an outdoor trash can and found a suitcase inside, police said. When the suitcase was opened, human remains were found. Officers secured the scene and detectives began treating the yard and home as a potential crime scene, collecting items and documenting the area around the trash can where the suitcase had been placed.
Police said the remains were decomposing, signaling the body had been dead for some time before the suitcase was found. Investigators have not said whether the body was moved more than once or how the suitcase ended up at the bottom of the trash can. Authorities also have not disclosed whether the suitcase was sealed, wrapped or otherwise altered in a way that could indicate an attempt to hide evidence.
Camacho was arrested Feb. 17 and held on $10,000 bail, police said. The charges filed against him focus on concealing or abandoning a body rather than causing the death. Court records described in local coverage said Camacho told investigators that he had been using drugs with another man and that the man died, and that he did not report the death. Police have not said whether that account is supported by forensic findings or whether they believe the death was accidental, an overdose or something else.
Neighbors said they were shaken by the discovery and by the idea that the body may have been on the property for an extended period. One resident recalled an overpowering smell near the home, saying it “smelled like rotten meat,” and that people nearby could not explain it at the time. Police have not said whether they received earlier calls about odors or disturbances and have not detailed what officers may have found during any prior contacts at the address.
Investigators also have not said what is known about the victim, including age, sex or last known movements. In many cases involving decomposed remains, identification can take time and may depend on dental comparisons, fingerprints, DNA analysis or missing-person reports. Police have not announced whether they have made a positive identification or whether they are still asking other agencies for help matching the remains to a missing person.
The decision to file concealment-related charges without a homicide count can reflect the limits of early evidence, even in cases that appear suspicious. Prosecutors typically need medical findings that establish cause and manner of death before pursuing homicide charges. Police have not said whether an autopsy has determined the manner of death, whether toxicology testing is complete, or whether investigators have recovered enough evidence to show where and when the person died.
The case is expected to move through initial court proceedings as prosecutors review evidence and decide whether any additional counts are warranted. Police have not released a detailed timeline beyond the May 28, 2025 discovery and Camacho’s Feb. 17 arrest, and they have not announced upcoming hearing dates. Authorities said the investigation remains open as detectives continue to work on identification and on the events that led to the body being placed in the backyard trash can.
Author note: Last updated February 27, 2026.