A Washington state homeowner was arrested after a relative informed authorities that he had confessed to killing a person and hiding the body on his property in Woodland, the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office reported.

The suspect was identified as Ricky Dean Miller, 67. After receiving the report, officers went to the location on December 16 and obtained a search warrant to inspect the property.

The body was found inside a barrel

During the search, officers located the lifeless body of Dennis Eugene Schmitt, 71, hidden inside a barrel, authorities detailed in an official statement.

According to the preliminary investigation, Miller owned the house that Schmitt rented. They both resided in separate houses on the same property.

Autopsy reveals extreme violence

The autopsy performed on the victim's body determined that Schmitt died from multiple blunt force traumas to the head. Furthermore, the forensic report revealed signs of strangulation, reinforcing the hypothesis of a violent homicide, authorities indicated. Based on these findings, Miller was arrested and taken to the Cowlitz County Jail, where he faces charges of second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains. Impact on the Community: Residents of the area expressed surprise at what happened, as it is a rural and sparsely populated area. "We are in the middle of nowhere. We never thought something like this could happen here," a local resident told the media. The Cowlitz County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately offer further comment, as the investigation continues to clarify the exact circumstances of the crime and the motivation that led the alleged assailant to commit the homicide.