2 Arizona Men Held in Shooting Death

Two Arizona men have been arrested in connection with the shooting death last May of a Ventura man whose body was found buried in an agricultural area in eastern Tucson, authorities said Thursday.

Daniel Patrick Cordasco and Erik Scott Maloney, both 21, were arrested in Tucson on Wednesday after being interviewed by detectives.

They remained in the Pima County Jail on Thursday night on $1 million bail.

Each of the Tucson residents is charged with a single count of murder, Pima County Sheriff’s Deputy James Ogden said.

Dietrich Michell Bay, 24, was reported missing May 21, 1998, when he failed to return to Ventura after driving to Tucson, Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Keith Parks said.

Authorities believe Bay was driving his Mercedes sedan to Tucson carrying between $20,000 and $100,000 in cash to purchase marijuana from the suspects.

“He was turned on to these two by a mutual friend in California,” Ogden said. “He had made many trips out here to purchase narcotics.”

The same day Bay was reported missing, railroad employees working in eastern Tucson spotted a blood trail leading to a fresh burial site, Ogden said.

Dental records proved it was Bay, and an autopsy revealed he had been shot several times. Ogden would not say which suspect is believed to be the shooter.

Bay’s car was recovered in Obregon, Mexico; his money was not found. Authorities believe the suspects stole the cash and spent it on furniture and trips, including one to Disneyland.