COLD CASE: Two Beaumont Residents Accused of Torture, Murder in 2011 Case

PHOTO: Christine Jo Kunstmann, Patch file.

A Beaumont duo was arrested this week on suspicion of killing a woman and dumping her body in a shallow grave in 2011, police announced.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the body of 44-year-old Christine Jo Kunstmann was found on July 15, 2011 in an unmarked, shallow grave in the unincorporated area of Yucaipa. Her body wasn’t positively identified until a week later.

“In the weeks following the murder, numerous family and witnesses were interviewed,” the sheriff’s department said in a press release issued Wednesday. “Kunstmann moved often, but frequently visited friends in the Beaumont area. Kunstmann spoke regularly with family and it was unlike her to go without family contact for more than a few days.”

It was eventually discovered that the woman hadn’t been seen by family since May 29 of that year, and they filed a missing person report on June 16.

[RELATED: Woman Found in Shallow Grave Identified as Former La Crescenta Resident]

Police were unable to make any arrests in connection to the killing– until this week.

On Nov. 1, 2014, the sheriff’s Cold Case Homicide Detail reopened the case to take another look at what happened.

“Detectives identified, located and interviewed numerous witnesses, which resulted in evidence identifying Michael Angelo Perez and Deserae James [of Beaumont] as suspects in this murder,” the sheriff’s news release states.

Then, on Tuesday, the 37-year-old Perez and 24-year-old James were interviewed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

“At the conclusion of the interview, Perez and James were arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center for the torture and murder of Christine Jo Kunstmann,” officials said.

The two are expected to be arraigned on murder charges this Friday. They are both currently jailed on no bail, online booking records indicate.

Police said the investigation continues into Kunstmann’s death, and ask anyone with information to contact Detectives Jerry Davenport or Rob Trostle at (909) 387-3589. You can also call anonymously to 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).