A San Antonio school janitor has confessed to killing his wife and living with her decomposing body in their home for more than a month, according to authorities.
Charles Vandoil Byrd, 49, was arrested on Sunday after police discovered the remains of his wife, 44-year-old Angela Byrd, inside their residence. Her body was found wrapped in plastic, carpet, and blankets, tightly bound with ratchet straps.
Byrd, who works for a local school district, told reporters outside a courthouse on Monday that he experienced a “mental break.” He added, “I’m so sorry. I loved my wife.” His bond has been set at $200,000.
Police were called to the Byrds’ home on Saturday after neighbors reported a strong odor. Officers arrived to find a body believed to be Angela’s inside the home. While her identity and cause of death are still pending confirmation by the medical examiner, authorities say the circumstances strongly suggest she had been dead since mid-June.
According to the arrest affidavit, Byrd was taken into custody without resistance — officers found him outside the home with his hands raised.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Byrd was cooperative and admitted to getting into a physical altercation with his wife on June 16 that “led to her death.” Byrd has so far been charged with tampering with a corpse, but Sheriff Salazar noted that a murder charge is likely once the autopsy is complete.
“This is an incredibly tragic and disturbing case,” Salazar said. “We anticipate additional charges will follow once the full medical report is in.”
