Background: News footage of the home in San Antonio, Texas where the body of Angela Byrd was found (KSAT). Inset: Charles Vandoil Byrd (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office).
A Texas man reportedly admitted to killing his wife more than a month ago, claiming to local reporters that he had a “mental break.”
Charles Vandoil Byrd, 49, was taken into custody on Sunday after the decomposing body of his wife, 44-year-old Angela Byrd, was found on his property the day before. KSAT was able to ask Charles Byrd questions as he was leaving the courthouse on Monday following his first appearance, where he was picked up on video saying he had a “mental break” and killed his wife, adding, “I’m so sorry. I loved my wife.” After appearing in court, Charles Byrd’s bond was set at $200,000.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local ABC affiliate KSAT, sheriff’s deputies responded to the home after a relative said that Charles Byrd “may have done something” to his wife. Attempts to find Charles Byrd over the weekend were unsuccessful — until Sunday.
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Police reported that when they arrived at the Byrds’ home on Saturday, they detected a strong odor of decomposition on the property. Inside the residence was a decomposed body, wrapped in plastic, carpet, and blankets and secured with ratchet straps. While police believe the body was Angela Byrd, the medical examiner will confirm the body’s identity and cause and manner of death following an autopsy.
Until then, Charles Byrd has been charged with tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse. He was found by the police outside the home with his hands raised, according to the affidavit.
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During a press conference, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said that Charles Byrd cooperated with police when he was questioned and reportedly admitted that he and his wife had a physical altercation on June 16 that allegedly “led to her death.”
According to Sheriff Salazar, Charles Byrd lived with the body in his home for weeks and attempted to handle the smell with household products. According to the affidavit, the relative who spoke to police said that Charles Byrd reportedly confessed to killing his wife. The same relative also told police that they had smelled the odor of decomposition at the Byrds’ residence.
KSAT reported that Charles Byrd, who had been employed as a janitor at a school district in San Antonio, Texas, was fired following his arrest. A spokesperson from the school district said that Charles Byrd did not have direct contact with the students while he was still employed.
Charles Byrd is being held at the Bexar County Jail on $200,000 bond. Salazar said that he will likely face “at least a murder charge” once the autopsy results are released.
