A body found in a Lakeside dumpster Thursday morning has now been identified as that of a woman who disappeared from Newport Beach, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Officials responded to the 12000 block of Wildcat Canyon Road and Muth Valley Road around 3:30 p.m. Thursday after the body of a female was discovered in a dumpster.
Friday afternoon, the San Diego County coroner confirmed identified the body as Quee “Q.C.” Chadwick., 46, of Newport Beach. The cause of death is still to be determined, the DA's office said.
Peter Gregory Chadwick, 48, was taken into custody in San Diego last week on suspicion of his wife's death.
Chadwick was driving a champagne-colored 2003 Lexus SUV when San Diego police officers arrested him on Oct. 11.
Chadwick had contacted local police several hours after homicide investigators in Newport began looking for him and his wife, Quee Chadwick. He called police while driving on Interstate 905 near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said.
Officials in Newport determined Quee Chadwick has been the victim of a homicide after a search at the couple’s home on Almanzora in Newport Coast suggested a struggle and possible foul play.
A law enforcement source said the body discovered in Lakeside Thursday could be Quee Chadwick.
Meanwhile, Orange County prosecutors believe Peter Chadwick allegedly killed his wife because the couple was heading for divorce. Financial gain appears to be the motive for the homicide, prosecutors allege.
According to prosecutors Peter Chadwick headed to San Diego to dump his wife’s body and drove around for 18 hours before calling San Diego police near the I-905 to ask for assistance. When officers contacted him, Quee’s body was not in his vehicle.
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Newport Beach police investigators say Peter Chadwick claims another man killed his wife and forced him to get rid of the body. However, prosecutors say forensic evidence suggests otherwise. They said blood was allegedly found inside the couple’s home.
No further information has been released regarding Thursday’s death investigation in Lakeside.
Bob Lambert lives near where the body was found and said his granddaughter noticed a something about the area had changed overnight.
"Out of the corner of her eyes, she said the dumpster looked like it was moved a little bit yesterday morning,” Lambert said. "Yeah, she said something looked strange about it."
For residents who have lived on Muth Valley Road for more than 10 years, the crime scene was an unpleasant reminder of past discoveries.
"About 10 or 15 years ago they found one down there in the gully before this access road was taken away. Then they found another one on this side of the road, and then a year or two ago they found a body up there and now this is like the fourth one," Lakeside resident Christine Afentakis said.
On Thursday night, the Newport Beach Police Department confirmed detectives were called out to the remote area in Lakeside in regards to an investigative lead in the disappearance and homicide of Quee Chadwick.
Newport Beach officials confirmed a female body was discovered inside a dumpster in Lakeside but the body has not yet been officially identified.
Newport Beach police are working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the San Diego County Medical Examiner to positively identify the remains.
Anyone with information is asked to immediately call the Newport Beach Police Department at (800) 550-NBPD or Detective Bryan Moore at (949) 644-3764.
