MIRA MESA, Calif. -- A Marine based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of his wife, 10News reported.

Authorities said 20-year-old Marine Patrick Poteat called a friend early Tuesday morning and instructed him to contact police and have them go to his home at the Legacy apartment complex in the 9300 block of Hillery Drive in Mira Mesa.

Officers responded and found the body Kalyn Denise Obarr-Poteat, 19, inside the apartment, police said.

Police told 10News Poteat was located several hours after the discovery of the woman's body near 29 Palms in the Yucca Valley area driving his own car. San Bernardino County sheriff's officials were able to take him into custody. Poteat was brought back to San Diego County on Tuesday night. He was being held in jail without bail pending an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

An autopsy determined that Obarr-Poteat, who worked as a nude dancer, had been choked to death with some type of cord or rope.

10News learned Poteat and his wife were from Georgia, but police did not know how long the couple lived in San Diego.