Officers were called after someone mowing tall grass next to a field noticed the tarp and saw an arm sticking out from the side. Responding deputies confirmed that there was a body under the tarp and called for investigators.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension assisted with evidence collection and crime scene processing. Officials were able to identify the deceased as Tia Mercedes Arleth, a 28-year-old woman with an address in Minneapolis and with significant ties to the Rochester area, authorities said.
Arleth was last seen in the Rochester area on May 30 and reported missing by her mother on June 12.
Officials say the location and the condition in which Arleth’s body was found are considered suspicious in nature. The sheriff’s office asks the public to come forward with any information by calling (507) 328-6800.
