A Columbus Junction man has been arrested and charged with the felony count of abuse of a corpse – mutilation of a corpse to hide a crime. Authorities arrested 58-year old Salvador Castaneda.

According to court records, authorities were notified of a van stuck in a ditch alongside Collins Road, a gravel road near Columbus Junction at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Law enforcement found a handgun and a cell phone on the floorboard of the van, and then located a deceased man in the ditch with a black cord around his torso. Authorities stated a similar cord was hanging from the van.

The deceased was identified as 58-year old Noe Ibarra-Tijerina. In the court records, officials state it was evident by the extensive injuries to his body that he had been drug down gravel. One report states, apparent trauma on the victim was “consistent in appearance with a small caliber gunshot wound.”

Outside of a building on the same road, officials found a pool of blood, a .25 shell casing, a blood trail and marks. The blood trail continued to where the van and body were found.

Castaneda was located and had the keys to the van in his pocket.

Bond was set at $25,000 and a preliminary hearing has been set for July 3rd.