A man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of two female neighbors who went missing from their Arkansas homes earlier this year.

Denise Rhodes and Robyn DeSort, both from the Bauxite area in Saline County, vanished in mid-July and their remains were discovered on a property in the same county in September.

On Thursday, Saline County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Michael Robert Weser, who lived near the property where the remains of the two women were found.

Weser has been charged with multiple felonies, including two counts of capital murder, abuse of a corpse and arson.

According to the sheriff’s office, on July 12 deputies responded to a fire at Rhodes home. After the blaze had been put out, she could not be located. In the days that followed, she was officially reported missing by her family, as was her neighbor DeSort.

During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered a vehicle belonging to DeSort – a white GMC Yukon – abandoned on an ATV trail near Rhodes’ property. Interviews, phone records and financial transactions connected Weser to both women prior to their disappearances.

Additional evidence tied him to the abandoned vehicle and other items recovered near his residence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Human remains were found on property near Weser’s home on September 7, with DNA analysis later confirming that they were Rhodes and DeSort. Following confirmation, a warrant was obtained and Weser was taken into custody three days later on September 10.

“This has been an extensive and difficult investigation,” said Saline County Sheriff Rodney Wright, who thanked the community and the multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the case.

A motive in the case has not been released and police have not said if there was a connection between the suspect and the two victims.

Investigations remain ongoing.