A Texas man has been arrested after allegedly killing his wife and living in the home with her decomposing body for over a month, according to authorities.
Charles Vandoil Byrd, 49, was charged with felony tampering with evidence involving a human corpse following the discovery of a body—believed to be Angela Byrd—wrapped in plastic, carpet, and blankets, and secured with ratchet straps inside their San Antonio residence.
According to court documents obtained by KSAT, Byrd admitted to investigators that he came home early on June 16 to surprise his wife, only to suspect that she was expecting another man. Police say this suspicion led to a confrontation during which Byrd allegedly choked Angela Byrd to death with his hands and bit her face multiple times.
He told investigators to check Angela’s phone for evidence of infidelity. Authorities were alerted to the scene by a concerned relative who reported disturbing comments made by Byrd suggesting he had harmed his wife. Deputies who entered the home immediately noticed the strong odor of decomposition and soon located the body.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that Byrd confessed to the physical altercation and described, in detail, how he lived in the home with the body for 32 days, taking steps to mask the odor and misleading family members about the smell.
Byrd was employed as a janitor for a San Antonio school district and has since been terminated. The district confirmed he did not have direct contact with students.
Byrd is currently held in Bexar County Jail on a $200,000 bond. Authorities expect murder charges to follow pending autopsy results confirming the identity and cause of death.
