San Diego

A South San Diego man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of murdering his roommate and leaving his body in a refrigerator in their back yard, police said.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Robert Nydegger, 41, was arrested without incident by homicide detectives at the Balboa Naval Hospital, where he works, said police spokesman Bill Robinson.

The body of Nydegger’s roommate, Tim Cudd, 39, was found Sept. 18 in the back yard of their home in the 3400 block of Grogan Circle, Robinson said. Police had been called to the house to investigate a strange odor, and neighbors directed them to an abandoned refrigerator, Robinson said. Cudd’s decomposed body was found inside. Because of the body’s deterioration, the exact cause of death has not been determined.