NEED TO KNOW
- Human remains found in a San Antonio home are believed to belong to Angela Byrd, per police
- Her husband Charles Byrd has been arrested on a tampering with evidence charge
- Police allege Charles confessed to murdering Angela
Authorities investigating a man in connection with a corpse found in his home say he made “flippant” remarks about what police believe is likely the murder of his wife.
Charles Byrd, 49, was arrested over the weekend after officers were tipped off by a relative, who alleged Byrd said he had hurt his wife, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a press conference on Sunday, July 20.
Officers responding to the residence early Sunday morning allegedly found a decomposing body in Byrd’s San Antonio, Texas, home, Salazar said.
They saw “human remains wrapped up in materials” inside the residence, and authorities believe the remains belong to Byrd’s wife, 44-year-old Angela Byrd.
Salazar said while authorities believe the person died by homicide, they are awaiting the medical examiner’s official confirmation on the identity of the deceased, as well as the manner and cause of death.
After finding the remains, police were initially unable to locate Charles, but investigators tracked him down to a nearby house where he was allegedly hiding, Salazar said.
Other arrests were made at the scene, but Salazar did not elaborate further.
Once in custody, Charles allegedly admitted to killing Angela, claiming they had a “physical confrontation” around June 16th, leading to her death, Salazar said.
Charles was reportedly nonchalant while talking to investigators, and boasted that he did not have a criminal record.
“He made a very flippant comment: ‘go big or go home’ [about this] being his first time committing a crime,” Salazar claimed. “I just found that very very shocking.”
Charles allegedly remained in the house with the corpse over the next month, at times taking steps to mask the odor of a decomposing corpse.
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As he was being escorted by police following his arrest, Charles reportedly told KSAT: “I’m so sorry. I loved my wife” and added that he had a “mental break.”
Per Salazar, he has not asked for an attorney, the outlet reported.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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