Body found in North Hills apartment closet; roommate arrested

NORTH HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A phone tip to the Los Angeles Police Department led to the discovery of a woman's body in a closet at an apartment in North Hills Monday.

Police say they received a call from a woman who said she had heard that a man was trying to dispose of a body. Detectives followed up on the tip and it led them to an apartment building in the 8700 block of Sepulveda Boulevard.

Responding officers searched the apartment building and found the 48-year-old woman's body in a closet. The victim appeared to have been dead for several days.

Mario Villalobos, 58, of North Hills was arrested on homicide charges. Police say he was in the process of evicting the victim, his roommate, and there had been a number of arguments.

Anyone with further information was urged to contact Mission Homicide Detective Efren Gutierrez at (818) 838-9948.