Man arrested after mutilated body of woman is found in barrel

A US man has been arrested after the naked mutilated body of a woman was found in a barrel on his Ohio property.

William Slaton from Middletown was charged with felony gross abuse of a corpse, felony tampering with evidence and misdemeanour failure to report a crime or death on June 30.

The 35-year-old is accused of cutting off the fingers of the body and removing the tattoos with a razor.

READ MORE: DNA evidence points to 8-year-old's killer after 38 years

The woman was identified as 21-year-old Cecily Cornett by coroners on Tuesday.

Middletown Police officers visited Slaton's property after receiving a report of a woman's body in a barrel.

After being advised of the complaint, Slaton went into his backyard and tossed the barrel over the fence, police said.

"Officers checked the barrel to see if a person inside was in need of emergency medical attention and found the dead body of a female," police said in a press release.

Slaton told police he found Ms Cornett's body in his basement after a night of using narcotics.

He then allegedly removed her fingers and tattoos. He said he waited several days before putting the body in the barrel.

Slaton previously served a seven-year sentence on a child pornography conviction and was released in 2018, WHIO reports.

The cause and manner of the 21-year-old's death is yet to be determined.