LATIMER, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi sheriff says a man whose body was found inside a freezer had been strangled.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said Thursday an autopsy revealed that strangulation caused the death of 65-year-old Jerry Floyd Kirkendall. The landlord found Kirkendall’s body Monday in an unplugged freezer, saying he was alerted by a horrible smell inside the home the dead man rented.

Investigators suspect Kirkendall was killed around March 3. The Sun Herald reports Deputy Coroner Jason Moody declined to release further details on the autopsy, citing the investigation.

Authorities issued a capital murder warrant for Kirkendall’s roommate, 40-year-old Thomas Elliot Stafford, who has eluded capture. Investigators say the suspect stole Kirkendall’s Cadillac, which was later found in Alabama. The second charge means Stafford could face the death penalty.