Oklahoma man arrested after dead wife found riding in passenger seat in Arizona traffic stop

PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. (KFOR) -- An Oklahoma man was arrested in Arizona just a few weeks after police issued a Silver Alert for him.

Last month, the Sand Springs Police Department issued a Silver Alert for 70-year-old Rodney Puckett, of Sand Springs, who was missing and without his medication. Police said Puckett is bipolar.

The Silver Alert was canceled after he was found in a Kansas jail.

On Monday, he was arrested in Arizona during a traffic stop after an Eloy police officer noticed a deceased woman sitting in the passenger seat.

Eloy police say the woman was identified as Rodney's wife, 74-year-old Linda Puckett.

Rodney told detectives his wife died at a hotel in Texas during their trip and after she died, he moved her body into their vehicle and continued toward their destination.

Police are working with Texas authorities to determine if Linda's death was the result of a homicide.

According to KNXV, the couple married in 2011 and were in the process of getting divorced. Linda had a protective order filed against Rodney and filed for divorce on February 8.

Rodney was booked into Pinal County Jail for abandonment or concealment of a body.