HOUSTON – Harris County Sheriff's investigators along with Texas Equusearch volunteers have unearthed the body of a man who was buried under the back patio of a home in a Northwest Harris County subdivision.
According to investigators the body was buried about five to six feet underground, with a fresh slab of concrete poured over his corpse.
Investigators believe the body may be that of Michael Watley, 25, who has been missing since February.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Watley may have been part of a disturbance at a rental home in the 9600 block of Angie Lane where shots were fired in mid-February.
Investigators could not locate Watley for months. Then recently, a tip pointed investigators to the backyard of a home on 12300 block of Chute Forest Drive in the Silver Springs subdivision, approximately six miles to the north of the initial altercation.
The body was recovered with the aid of heavy duty digging equipment.
Charged with tampering with a corpse and possession of a controlled substance is the home's owner, 32-year-old Josue Santuario.
It is unclear what transpired between the two men but Harris County Sheriff's deputies said the victim and suspect were "business associates." The nature of their business remained unclear.
