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Man Who Made ‘Spontaneous Statements' to CHP Arrested After Discovery of Woman's Body in Santa Ana Motel

A man driving in Central California who made "spontaneous statements" about how he may have killed a woman in a motel room was arrested after the conversation led authorities to a woman's body in a Santa Ana motel room.

Milton Louis Mayfield, 55, of Anaheim, was detained in Tulare County, Santa Ana police said.

California Highway Patrol officers from the Visalia station, which is about 200 miles north of Los Angeles, said they discovered a disabled car on the side of the freeway with Mayfield inside early Tuesday morning.

As officers questioned him, police say he made spontaneous statements about how "he may have killed a woman in a motel room in the area of First Street and Grand Avenue" in Santa Ana.

That led to the discovery of the woman's body as Santa Ana police officers made welfare checks at motels in the area. 

Deborah Ann Simon, 55, of Santa Ana, was discovered at the Sunshine Village Motel at about 5 a.m.

The car Mayfield was driving belonged to Simon.

After detectives interviewed Mayfield at the Visalia station and collected evidence at the motel, Mayfield was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The cause of death would be determined by autopsy.

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