Woman likely OD'd; 3 face corpse desec..

Body found under leaves • Victim, three suspects had drug abuse histories.

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Allegations ranging from desecration of a corpse to possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia have put three people behind bars in connection with the discovery of a west Salt Lake City woman's body earlier this week.

The dead woman, identified as Eva Montanez, 45, was found by a passerby under a layer of leaves Monday afternoon near 800 West and Emeril Avenue (30 North).

Three neighbors — men ages 45 and 55, and a woman, also 55 — were arrested after questioning. The three allegedly told investigators that Montanez had died from a drug overdose inside a nearby house, and that they had panicked, dragging her body through the kitchen and out the back door, where they left it behind a shed along a nearby fence line.

The three — all with extensive drug-related criminal histories — remained in Salt Lake County Jail Wednesday, held on suspicion of third-degree felony corpse desecration and second-degree felony drug possession, and class B misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and theft by deception charges.

Probable cause statements claim that when the woman suspect was arrested, officers found a syringe filled with a dark substance believed to be heroin.

While an official cause of death awaits an autopsy and toxicology results, detectives said that Montanez's body showed no signs of trauma.

remims@sltrib.com

Woman likely OD'd; 3 face corpse desecration charges