KINGMAN, AZ – On Friday, May 28th, at about 5:00pm, Kingman Police Department (KPD) arrested Brett Daniel Puett, 35 of Kingman, on felony charges of 2nd Degree Murder, Abandonment & Concealment of a Dead Body, and Fraudulent Schemes & Artifices, regarding the death of Debra Lynn Childers, 64 of the Kingman area.
On May 12th Debra Childers was reported as missing to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). Childers’ son, who lives out of state, had not heard from his mother in several months and knew that she lived in the area of Kingman and Golden Valley. Childers was reported to be primarily living out of her car.
During the course of the MCSO investigation, it was learned that a male subject had been withdrawing money from Childers’ bank account over the last several months.
During the week of May 24th KPD detectives began investigating the money withdrawals and attempting to identify the subject making the withdrawals. It was also determined that this subject was driving the victim’s vehicle. There was immediate concern for Childers’ welfare.
Detectives located two storage units that belonged to Childers. On Friday, May 28th, KPD detectives served search warrants on these storage units in the 3100blk of Harrison St. Once inside detectives located a dead body believed to be Debra Childers. The body had been concealed in a large duffle bag and appeared to have been inside the storage unite for several months. Based on evidence and information investigators believe the body to be Debra Lynn Childers, however official identification must be made by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office. Childers’ family has been notified.
During the course of the investigation, detectives identified Brett Puett as the person driving the victim’s car and making withdrawals from the victim’s bank account. Investigators learned that Puett was staying at a residence in the 2500blk of Northfield Ave.
On Friday, May 28th, at about 5:00 pm, with the assistance of MCSO deputies and MAGNET detectives, Puett was located and taken into custody without incident. Puett arrived at the Northfield Ave residence, driving the victim’s vehicle.
Investigators learned that Puett and Childers met each other last summer, while both had been living out of their vehicles. Childers was shot and killed some time in November while Puett and Childers were sharing a room at a motel in the 3200blk of E. Andy Devine Ave., in Kingman. It is believed that their relationship was platonic. Puett has admitted involvement in the killing and subsequent money withdrawals, as well as transporting and concealing her body. Further details and specifics are not being released at this time.
Puett was booked into the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility. The investigation is ongoing. No additional suspects are being sought. Anyone with information that may be helpful is asked to contact KPD detectives by calling (928) 753-2191.