SOUTH BEND — The cause of death has been determined for the man found buried in a South Bend back yard. His body was discovered Sunday morning behind a home in the 200 block of East Dayton Street.

The autopsy showed the man was stabbed several times, his throat was cut and he was struck multiple times in the head with a blunt object.

The identity of the victim is still being withheld while police confirm his identity and notify family members.

Worried family members called police on Friday when they hadn't heard from the homeowner. Police suspected foul play after arriving at the home and began a missing person's investigation.

Police went back to the home Saturday night after learning there were several people there. Officers arrived and found an area in the back yard that had been dug up.

Search dogs, trained to find human remains, located the body. Police confirmed through interviews and evidence collection that a person had been killed at the home and the body was buried in the back yard.

Nathaniel Richerson, 19, of Michigan was arrested on a preliminary charge of murder, and 27-year-old Matt Weidler, also from Michigan, was arrested on a preliminary charge of assisting a criminal.

Stay with WSBT News for updates.