An Arizona man has been arrested after the body of his girlfriend was found in the trunk of a car in Southern California on Monday night, police said. 

Christi Lynn Romero, 54, was identified as the woman by the Holbrook Police Department in Arizona on Tuesday. Her estranged boyfriend, Richard Paul Rodriguez, 34, also of Holbrook, has been arrested.  

Romero’s family called authorities Monday to report her missing. Officers entered a trailer where she lived by force, but she was not inside. Her 1995 Plymouth Neon was also missing. 

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Richard Rodriguez, 34, has been arrested in California after the body of Christi Lynn Romero, 54, his estranged girlfriend was found in the trunk of a car, police said.  (Holbrook Police Department)

Romero had a 9 mm pistol that was not found and was believed to be with Rodriguez, police said at the time. 

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Holbrook officers began searching for Rodriguez, who had been served with a protection order on Nov. 2 and removed from the trailer at that time, police said. 

Rodriguez eventually made his way to his parents home in Huntington Beach, California, police said. The Huntington Beach Police Department was called over reports of a family disturbance and responding officers found Romero in the trunk of a car, authorities said. 

Christi Lynn Romero’s 1995 Plymouth Neon.  (Holbrook Police Department)

She died under “suspicious circumstances,” Huntington Beach authorities said. 

Rodriguez was arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held in the Orange County jail.