Homicide victim's body found in Angeles Forest weeks after suspect arrested

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - The body of a homicide victim was found in the Angeles National Forest just over a month after his accused killer was arrested.

Authorities with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and Ventura County Sheriff's Department identified the victim as 22-year-old Houston Alexander Auer. Detectives say Auer was murdered at a home he shared with the suspect in the 1100 block of Meyer Road in the Meiners Oaks community of Ventura County.

The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Cameron Scott Lykins. He was arrested on May 12. Authorities say that though there was enough evidence to conclude Auer had been murdered, Lykins had removed the body from the scene of the crime and would not disclose the location of the body.

Auer's body was discovered partially decomposed concealed in a large brush area of the Angeles National Forest, in the area of Upper Big Tujunga Road and Colby Ranch Road, by a Game Warden from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to investigators.

The U.S. Forest Service, along with the L.A. County Medical Examiner and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau responded to the forest and worked with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department to identify the remains.

Auers body was transferred to Ventura County and an autopsy will be conducted by the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office.

Lykins remains in custody at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on $2,000,000.00 bail. His next scheduled court date is July 10, 2019.