The BPD has made an arrest in the death of a Bakersfield woman whose body was found in the garage of her burning home.
Patrick Terrel, 37 of Bakersfield, was arrested and booked on charges of murder, arson, residential burglary and grand theft auto.
The body of Clara Basta, 56, was found inside her burning home September 7 in the 4200 block of Kilkenny Court.
Terrel is identified in a police search warrant as Basta's girlfriend's son. Detectives reported in the warrant Terrel admitted to his girlfriend, Sonya Martinez, on the morning of September 7 that he'd killed Basta and dumped Basta's car outside an abandoned home.
Another warrant obtained by 17 News, indicates detectives found Basta's car behind an abandoned home on South King Street one day after her body was found.
Documents also show a bloody knife and crow bar were found inside the vacant home, as well as Basta's license plate, a cell phone case, methamphetamine and several other items.
In the documents, a detective on scene noted he believed the items were placed there by a person or persons related to this homicide and that the items appeared to be unburned and were surrounded by black ash and soot from the rest of the room.
He also wrote in his report that he spoke with the homeowner, who told him a white Intrepid with no plates was parked in his back yard and he didn't know who it belonged to.
Patrick Terrel, 37 of Bakersfield, was arrested and booked on charges of murder, arson, residential burglary and grand theft auto.
The body of Clara Basta, 56, was found inside her burning home September 7 in the 4200 block of Kilkenny Court.
Terrel is identified in a police search warrant as Basta's girlfriend's son. Detectives reported in the warrant Terrel admitted to his girlfriend, Sonya Martinez, on the morning of September 7 that he'd killed Basta and dumped Basta's car outside an abandoned home.
Another warrant obtained by 17 News, indicates detectives found Basta's car behind an abandoned home on South King Street one day after her body was found.
Documents also show a bloody knife and crow bar were found inside the vacant home, as well as Basta's license plate, a cell phone case, methamphetamine and several other items.
In the documents, a detective on scene noted he believed the items were placed there by a person or persons related to this homicide and that the items appeared to be unburned and were surrounded by black ash and soot from the rest of the room.
He also wrote in his report that he spoke with the homeowner, who told him a white Intrepid with no plates was parked in his back yard and he didn't know who it belonged to.