A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman who was found at an apartment where a gas leak was reported.

Kenneth Jay Benson, 46, faces one count of second-degree murder, according to court documents.

Around 9 p.m. Monday, the Phoenix Fire Department responded to an apartment near 15th Avenue and Camelback Road for a reported gas leak.

Firefighters forced their way into the unit and found Lori Bourque, 50, dead on the kitchen floor, records state. Officials noted head trauma on Ms. Bourque and found a construction hammer nearby with blood and hair on it.

Records state the gas stove had been left running with the burner off. Southwest Gas cut off supply and the fire department opened doors to ventilate the apartment.

A witness told officials that Ms. Bourque lived alone but recently had an unknown male staying with her, records state. Another witness said the victim had became involved in a relationship with a man named Ken, who had been recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash.

Paperwork inside the apartment led police to identify Kenneth Benson as a suspect. On Tuesday morning, police responded to the area of 75th Avenue and Indian School Road after the 46-year-old called authorities and allegedly admitted to beating and killing a woman two before with a hammer, records state.

According to court documents, the defendant stated his anger got the best of him and he did not mean to harm the victim.

The defendant was booked into jail in lieu of $1 million cash-only bond with court dates July 27 and 30, records state.