Arkansas authorities have now confirmed the identity of a man whose body was found left in a suitcase in a rural field earlier this month.
In a statement Thursday, the Prairie County sheriff’s office said that it had been made aware that the person found dead was positively identified as 89-year-old Roberts D. Brooks of New York.
The Johnstown Police Department in New York had previously identified Brooks as the person found in the Crossroad community west of Des Arc.
Authorities say Brooks died of natural causes and had been dead for about a month before Prairie County deputies found his body March 5.
Four people have been arrested in his death, including two of Brooks’ caretakers: Virginia “Ginger” Colvin, 56, of Johnstown and Michael Stivers. They face charges of abusing a corpse.
Two others were arrested Tuesday on charges of concealment of a human corpse: Aaron M. Rulison, 25, of Gloversville, N.Y.; and Leeann N. Sager, 34, of Johnstown, N.Y.
Brooks’ death is not being investigated as a homicide.