An Arizona man learned that a woman had died inside her home and then entered the residence without contacting emergency personnel, according to the Bullhead City Police Department. Police say he instead took the woman’s vehicle keys and title before driving her car and eventually selling it to someone else.
The case began with the discovery of the woman inside her Bullhead City home on January 16, although detectives believed she had been dead for several months by that point. Police found no signs of foul play surrounding her death, but investigators said the home appeared to have been ransacked sometime afterward and her vehicle was missing.
Detectives eventually identified 39-year-old David Justin Papineau as a suspect during their investigation into what happened after the woman died. Police say Papineau knew about her death when he entered the home while her body was in a state of decomposition, yet he did not contact emergency personnel.
Investigators say Papineau took the keys and title to the woman’s vehicle before driving away in it. The car apparently did not remain with him either, as police say Papineau later fraudulently signed the title and sold the vehicle to another person.
Police Arrest Suspect Months Later
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Bullhead City Police announced Papineau’s arrest as authorities and community organizations were launching a new program inspired by the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. Papineau was arrested on charges of burglary, theft of means of transportation, and fraudulent schemes before police said he was booked into the Mohave County Jail in Kingman.
Police did not provide additional information about when the vehicle was sold, who purchased it, or whether that person knew how Papineau had obtained it. The department also did not disclose additional circumstances surrounding the alleged ransacking of the woman’s home beyond saying it appeared to have occurred after her death.
Guessing Headlights searched the Mohave County, Arizona, inmate page for additional information following the police announcement but was unable to locate a matching public inmate record for Papineau. His absence from the results does not establish his current custody status, and Bullhead City Police explicitly stated in its announcement that he had been booked into the Mohave County Jail.
Woman’s Death Leads to New Daily Check-in Program
The circumstances surrounding the case also prompted community leaders to create River Watch, a free wellness program sponsored by Tri-State Cares for people who may otherwise go extended periods without someone checking on them. The program officially launched the same week Bullhead City Police announced that an arrest had been made in connection with the woman’s home and vehicle.
River Watch provides daily check-ins by phone call, email, or text for seniors, people with disabilities, and others who live alone. The program is available to residents of Bullhead City, Laughlin, Topock, Oatman, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley, to provide both a regular wellness check and additional peace of mind for loved ones.
Residents can register through Tri-State Cares, while people unable to complete the process online can contact the organization to have someone visit their residence and assist with the paperwork. Police said the arrest was an important development in the investigation but also pointed to the underlying circumstances as an example of why the River Watch program was created.
As always, this is an arrest, not a conviction. All suspects are considered innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.