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Man Arrested After Missing Woman Turns Up Burned In Field

DORAL (CBSMiami) - Yolanda Samaniego's photo is still posted just across the street from the spot where her burned body was found earlier in the week. Police believe they know who's responsible for her death.

"We received a call to the 911 center from a Marvin Rivera-Montalvo who stated he had info regarding the death of Yolanda Samaniego," said Det. Alvaro Zabaleta of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Watch Maggie Newland's report, click here.

Samaniego's family said she left her job at a Northwest Miami-Dade printing company about 2:30 a.m. Saturday September 13th.

Marvin Rivera-Montalvo, 30, was a coworker and a family member said the two had been partners at work for the past two years.

Police said detectives spoke to Rivera-Montalvo after he called 911 claiming to have information.

"He stated Mrs. Samaniego's husband had killed her," said Det. Zabaleta.  "As they continued in the interview Rivera- Montalvo confessed that he and other unknown individuals planned to murder Mrs. Samaniego.... On the 13th, he then lured her to his vehicle and then one of the other subjects shot her is what he claimed to the investigator. He then stated he went to a local hotel to prepare how to dispose of the body."

Police said Rivera-Montalvo confessed he dumped his co-worker's body in this brush along the side of the road in an open field located at N.W. 64th Street and N.W. 82nd Avenue the same night of September 13th.

"Several days later, September 17th is when he returned back to the location where Mrs. Samaniego's body was at and he lit her corpse on fire," said Det. Zabaleta.

Later that day, officials discovered her body after receiving a call about a brush fire in the area.

"In my heart, he don't do it," said Rivera-Montalvo's father.

David Rivera wouldn't open the door for CBS4's Maggie Newland, but told her he can't believe his son is responsible for the murder.

"I don't believe it," he said. "I don't believe it, he's a very quiet person he wouldn't do anything like that he goes to church he's a good man."

Rivera-Montalvo's father was out of town for the past week and just learned about his son's arrest.

He said he spoke to his son by phone Thursday, the day after Samaniego's body was found, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"He is a fine man and I know in my heart that whatever happening right now he's - nothing is true."

Once detectives said Rivera-Montalvo confessed, they arrested and booked him on Saturday morning for one charge of first degree murder.

Rivera-Montalvo is being held without bond, according to the department of corrections website.

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