BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. – September 24, 2026 – A new community program is providing peace of mind and daily wellness checks for seniors and others who live alone.

“River Watch,” sponsored by Tri-State Cares, was created by concerned community leaders following the January 16 discovery of a deceased woman inside her Bullhead City home. Detectives believed she had been deceased for several months. Although there were no signs of foul play, her home appeared to have been ransacked after her death, and her vehicle had been stolen.

This week, as the River Watch program officially launched, Bullhead City Police made an arrest in connection with the case. During the investigation, detectives identified 39-year-old David Justin Papineau as the suspect who entered the woman’s home after learning she had died. He did not contact emergency personnel and instead entered the home while her body was in a state of decomposition. He then reportedly stole her vehicle keys and title, drove her vehicle and later sold it to another person after fraudulently signing the title.

Papineau was arrested on charges of burglary, theft of means of transportation and fraudulent schemes and booked into the Mohave County Jail in Kingman.

While this recent arrest is an important development in the case, it also highlights the reason River Watch was created. The free program provides daily check-ins for seniors, people with disabilities and anyone who lives alone. A simple daily call or check-in can help make sure someone is OK and provide peace of mind.

River Watch is available to residents in Bullhead City, Laughlin, Topock, Oatman, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley. Please consider helping sign up a loved one, neighbor or friend who lives alone. Visit www.tristatecares.com to sign up. If you are unable to register online, call Tri-State Cares, and they will send someone to your residence to help complete the paperwork.

Attached: River Watch flyer, mug shot of Papineau, and photo of Senior Services Program Manager Kim Cool speaking at Thursday’s River Watch press conference at the Bullhead City Senior Enrichment Center.

The information above is provided as a public service and as a demonstration of government transparency. Persons arrested, accused or sought for questioning should not be presumed guilty of any charge or allegation. In some cases, criminal charges are not pursued against persons initially arrested, accused or sought for questioning.