The family of a Lakewood man whose remains were discovered by law enforcement in Saguache County in July begged the person suspected of killing him to turn himself in.

“If you snapped or whatever. You hurt a family. It’s time to pay the piper,” James Montoya’s father, Eddie, said into news cameras during a press conference Tuesday called by the Denver police.

Investigators identified the suspect as 33-year-old Jesus Angel Arvizo of Denver .

Montoya’s son, James, went missing April 2, the night before he was scheduled to enlist with a Marine recruiter. His parents reported him missing right away but his remains weren’t found until nearly four months later buried north of the Saguache municipal airport on July 26.

Denver police commander Matt Clark said investigators believe Arvizo allegedly killed Montoya in Denver after an argument and then transported his body by car to Saguache County. Police arrested a woman, 30-year-old Amber Jean Dominguez, in connection with Montoya’s death Sept. 5.

Despite the fact that Montoya’s remains were found within months and within the same general region as those of Suzanne Morphew, investigators ruled out any connection early in the investigation, Clark said.

Montoya’s family suspected that there might be a link between the two.

“We thought there was a connection,” said Montoya’s girlfriend, Lorena, who asked for her last name not to be used because she works with children. “There’s literally nothing out there. They call the area ‘ the boneyard’.”

There was one bizarre connection to the Montoya and Morphew cases. In both of them, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation was actually looking for a third person who remains missing. Edna Quintana, 54, was last seen walking in Saguache May 3 and her disappearance is still a mystery.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation ruled out any connection between Quintana’s disappearance and the Morphew case.

Morphew, a 49-year-old mother of two, disappeared from Chaffee County in May of 2020. Her remains were found in a Saguache County field late last month.

Montoya’s family lined up in the Denver police headquarters, thanked investigators and expressed grief over the loss of a son, a grandson and brother whose laughter and joy provided “a lifeline to the neighborhood.”

“This is our worst nightmare,” said Corrina Montoya, James’ mother. “We’re in pain and we’d like some final resolution.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. A reward of $2000 is available for information leading to an arrest.