N. Phila man held in death of body found in his room

A North Philadelphia man was arrested yesterday in the death of a 19-year-old man whose beaten and decomposing body was found in his apartment Saturday night.

Nicholas Lux, 21, of the 100 block of West Master Street, told detectives he had beaten Arty Miller with an iron bar after Miller insulted his mother and grandmother, Detective Sgt. Bob Wilkins said yesterday.

Police found the remains of Miller, of the 100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, stuffed into a large plastic storage container in a third-floor bedroom of Lux's apartment.

Despite the foul smell of the body, police were not alerted until one of Miller's relatives was tipped off by an anonymous caller, Wilkins said. Miller had been missing since May 2. Police were still unsure when Miller was killed.

- Jeff Shields