Police arrest business associate in homicide

• Jesus Cortez%2C a 38-year-old father%2C was found Thursday afternoon .
• Business associate Juan Zermeno was arrested Friday.
• Police continue to look for two vehicles that belonged to Cortez.

Phoenix police officers have made an arrest in the murder of Jesus Cortez, the 38-year-old father who was found Thursday afternoon after family members reported him missing for several days.

The suspect, Juan Luis Zermeno, was arrested without incident on Friday, police said. Zermeno, 39, was a business associate of Cortez, and the two men had been involved in a business-related dispute before the homicide, police spokesman Sgt. Jonathan Howard said.

Zermeno is also suspected of stealing property from Cortez, including two vehicles, which he later tried to sell to another business associate, Howard said.

Police are still looking for the vehicles, described as a 2006 white Ford pickup, Arizona license plate BKF7293 and a 2007 white Cadillac Escalade, Arizona license plate BEP6391.

Zermeno was booked on suspicion of one count each of 1st degree murder, 1st degree burglary, theft and trafficking stolen property.

Anyone with information regarding the stolen vehicles or any additional suspects is urged to call The Phoenix Police Department Violent Crimes Bureau at 602-262-6141 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.