Michael Christopher Sager, 22, was arrested on Friday near Sacramento, California
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his roommate after work crews discovered a human skeleton buried in the backyard of a house.
Michael Christopher Sager, 22, was arrested on Friday near Sacramento, California, where police believe he stabbed his former roommate in 2015 after getting into a verbal altercation.
The crime went undetected, with no missing persons report filed, until work crews renovating a home in suburban North Highlands made the gruesome discovery on the day after Christmas.
Homeowner Dimas Velasquez said extensive repairs to the property were necessary after he evicted the prior tenants in November for unpaid rent, and they left it in squalid condition.
The remains were discovered in a shallow grave just steps from the back door.
![The landlord was cleaning out trash from the backyard of this home after evicting the tenants for unpaid rent, when a worker discovered human remains in a shallow grave on December 26](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/08/14/47E7006500000578-0-image-a-4_1515422659337.jpg)
The landlord was cleaning out trash from the backyard of this home after evicting the tenants for unpaid rent, when a worker discovered human remains in a shallow grave on December 26
![The remains were discovered just steps from the back door in this shallow grave](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/08/15/47E7610E00000578-5246977-image-a-19_1515423843020.jpg)
The remains were discovered just steps from the back door in this shallow grave
![Sager, who goes by the nickname 'Big Mike', was laid off from his job in January, and had issued fundraising appeals to help pay rent at the home as well as afford 'skitzophrena pills' (sic)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/08/14/47E7007D00000578-0-image-m-8_1515422792396.jpg)
Sager, who goes by the nickname ‘Big Mike’, was laid off from his job in January, and had issued fundraising appeals to help pay rent at the home as well as afford ‘skitzophrena pills’ (sic)
‘It was so much trash back there and we didn’t notice anything until we got most of the trash removed, and a cat was digging at an area, and my friend found it,’ Velasquez told Fox40.
Police investigators spent two days at the property, painstakingly unearthing the remains until it became clear there was an entire skeleton.
Forensic teams confirmed that the remains were not ancient, and that the death was the result of a homicide.
The investigation led to Sager, who police say had lived in the home at the suspected time of the murder. The landlord identified him as the boyfriend of the daughter who used to live in the home.
The victim was a male in his 20s who also lived in the home, cops believe, but his identity is being withheld pending confirmation from the Sacramento County Coroner’s office.
![Cops believe Sager stabbed his former roommate in 2015 after getting into a verbal altercation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/08/14/47E7007600000578-0-image-m-6_1515422766529.jpg)
Cops believe Sager stabbed his former roommate in 2015 after getting into a verbal altercation
Sager, who goes by the nickname ‘Big Mike’, grew up in the area, attending high schools in both Sacramento and North Highlands, where the remains were found, according to his Facebook page.
He worked as a machine operator for a printing company until he was fired in January of last year, according to his posts.
In May, Sager created two fundraising appeals on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.
One requests funds to help pay for household bills, and shows the front of the home where the remains were discovered.
The other requests $300 to pay for ‘skitzophrena pills’ (sic).
Sager is being held in Sacramento County Jail without bond.
He is next scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.