Police: 20-year-old ex-con suspected in the murder of U.S. Airways flight attendant Nick Aaronson

(CBS/AP) MEXICO CITY - Police arrested a 20-year-old man Monday for allegedly killing a U.S. Airways flight attendant in his Mexico City hotel room and stealing his belongings and the safe deposit box.

Authorities said Jose Manuel Ramirez beat flight attendant Nick Aaronson and then strangled him with a belt. Police said the victim was 27, but other reports said he was 33.

According to CBS station KCBS, Ramirez, is a male prostitute known as "the shadow" who police say has a criminal record and had been released from a Mexico City prison in June.

Chief prosecutor Miguel Mancera said Ramirez and Aaronson arrived at the downtown Hilton early Friday and went to the room together. Mancera said the attack and theft happened shortly after that, but added that he did not know how much money was reportedly stolen and what was in the safe box.

Other U.S. Airways flight attendants asked hotel employees to check Aaronson's room Saturday and his naked body was found lying on the floor with his hands tied behind his back.

Mancera said the suspect was identified after studying the hotel's surveillance videos.

Meanwhile, Ramirez told reporters at a press conference Monday that he had turned himself in at the bar where authorities said he and Aaronson met.

Ramirez claimed he only punched Aaronson twice and insisted he did not kill the victim. He claimed a 15-year-old friend was responsible for the slaying of Aaronson, who was based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mancera said Ramirez will remain in custody of prosecutors before seeing a judge.

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October 31, 2011 - Report: Suspect arrested in Mexico City murder of U.S. Airways flight attendant Nick Aaronson