ROCHESTER, Minn. — Police say the woman whose remains were found in a suitcase in Wisconsin this month was likely killed in a Rochester hotel room.
The remains of Laura Jean Simonson, of Farmington, and another unidentified woman were found in a pair of suitcases in Walworth County, Wisconsin June 5.
Rochester police said Thursday Simonson and the man arrested in the case checked into the Microtel Inn and Suites on Nov. 2 and that the man checked out the next day without Simonson. Three weeks later Simonson's family filed a missing persons report.
Highway workers discovered two suitcases discarded along a rural road in the town of Geneva, about 50 miles southwest of Milwaukee. Authorities discovered the remains of two females inside and identified one as Simonson. The Post-Bulletin(http://bit.ly/1jRelGv ) reports Rochester Capt. John Sherwin says the suspect has confessed to being involved in Simonson's death.
Police arrested a 52-year-old Wisconsin man on Wednesday in connection with the deaths.
Simonson was last seen Nov. 2 and was reported missing by her mother.
The other woman has not been identified, according to information released by the Town of Geneva police.
Police believe she's 15 to 35 years old with long, straight dark brown or black hair. She has a quarter-sized heart tattoo on her lower left abdomen. She is 5 feet 2 to 5 feet 4 in height and weighs 120 to 140 pounds.
The West Allis, Wis., man arrested in connection with the deaths is being held in the Walworth County Jail.
Walworth County Circuit Court officials say the man is expected to appear in court Friday. He's being held on two counts of hiding a corpse.
The county's district attorney, Daniel Necci, says formal charges are not expected Thursday because he hasn't yet received the case from investigators.
The private security officer was arrested Wednesday when detectives wearing hazmat suits removed bags of evidence and a refrigerator from his suburban Milwaukee apartment.
-- This report contains information from the Associated Press.
