A 34-year-old Ignacio man is being held on suspicion of second degree murder involving the death of Raeanna "Nikki" Burch-Woodhull, 28, an Indigenous woman from Ignacio. 

Authorities identified a suspect, and arrested Luis Raul Valenzuela, 34, Saturday. He was taken to the La Plata County Jail. His first appearance is set for Monday. Investigators believe the suspect was known to Burch-Woodhull.

Law enforcement located the body of Burch-Woodhull near Colorado State Highway 550 and County Road 310, south of Durango Saturday. Preliminary identification of the remains was made by the La Plata County Coroner, and her family has been notified. An autopsy, where formal identification will be made, will be conducted by the La Plata County Coroner. 

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was requested to conduct the investigation and the processing of the crime scene, and is working closely with the Ignacio Police Department, 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, La Plata County Coroner's Office, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office in the Colorado Department of Public Safety. 

A CBI Missing Endangered Alert had been issued at the request of the Ignacio Police Department.

A new Missing Indigenous Person Alert takes effect at the end of the month following completion of the rulemaking process.