March 22--A barrel stuffed with a man's body was dumped in front of Sonoma City Hall on Friday night, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Ronald Gordon Sauvageau, 64, of Cazadero, a hamlet of about 300 people roughly 20 miles northwest of Santa Rosa, police said. There was dried blood on the 55-gallon plastic barrel, but it was unclear how Sauvageau died. An autopsy is expected to be conducted Tuesday.
Detectives arrested Christopher McNatt, 40, of Sonoma on suspicion of murder, authorities said. He was being held without bail at Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.
Sauvageau was killed at a home in the Acacia Grove Mobile Home Park in Sonoma Valley, authorities said.
The dumping of the barrel, which was covered by a blue tarp, was reported to the Sonoma Police Department at about 11:50 p.m. Friday night.
The Sonoma County sheriff's violent crimes unit is leading the homicide investigation.
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