Kings County sheriff's deputies have arrested a Stratford man for allegedly killing his neighbor, who was found buried in a shallow grave on the property where both men lived.

The homicide was the first this year in the unincorporated area of Kings County.

Deputies received a call about 7:30 p.m. Sunday that Jesus Aranda, 23, was missing from his home at 19152 Prospect Court.

Authorities learned from witnesses that Aranda might have been the victim of a homicide, said Kings County Assistant Sheriff Randy Montejano, who declined to say who the witnesses were or what information they provided.

Deputies discovered Aranda in a shallow grave in the backyard, Montejano said.

Aranda's neighbor, 25-year-old Juan Jose Lopez Segurra, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder in connection with Aranda's death, Montejano said. Segurra was being held without bail Monday at the Kings County Jail.

An autopsy was scheduled Monday afternoon. Montejano said the results wouldn't be released until today. He said the cause of death wasn't yet known, but detectives believe Aranda was buried for two or three days.

Aranda lived in a garage attached to the main home on the property, while Segurra lived in a trailer in the back, Montejano said.

Both men were farmworkers who knew each other, but Montejano said he didn't know if they were friends.