A Texas man has been arrested for the murder his fiancé after allegedly conducting an online search questioning whether it was in the realm of legality to kill someone who was not legally in the country.
Texas man arrested
Ty Vaughn, 31, has been charged with murder in connection to the death of 27-year-old Luis Banos Norberto in January.
According to a criminal complaint, Vaughn is accused of fatally shooting Norberto in the face before attempting to stage the scene to resemble a suicide.
The incident occurred on January 14 at an apartment complex in Baytown, a city near Houston.
According to an affidavit obtained by KTRK, Vaughn initially claimed he arrived home shortly after 5:30 a.m. to find Norberto already deceased.
However, law enforcement officials say surveillance footage and witness statements contradict his account.
Video evidence allegedly shows Vaughn arriving home just after 4 a.m., with neighbors reporting hearing a gunshot soon thereafter.
Authorities say that at approximately 4:30 a.m., as Norberto lay lifeless in the apartment, Vaughn sent a text to the victim, reading, “Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!”
Police also allege Vaughn waited more than 90 minutes after the shooting to call emergency responders, finally dialing 911 after 5:30 a.m.
“My spouse is dead,” he reportedly told dispatchers. “Help. My life is over.”
Responding officers discovered Norberto’s body on a bed with a lever-action rifle positioned against his arm.
A torn-up photograph of the couple was also found nearby, according to the affidavit.
Texas man told cops his fiance was illegal
During the investigation, detectives noted that Vaughn repeatedly emphasized that Norberto was an undocumented immigrant.
A subsequent search of Vaughn’s phone revealed a Google search for, “Can I kill an illegal human,” authorities allege.
Prior to his arrest, Vaughn spoke with KTRK, telling the station that the “police know all the details.”
When offered condolences, the Texas man reportedly responded, “I mean, it is what it is.”
Law enforcement officers took Vaughn into custody over the weekend. He is currently being held at the Harris County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Man stuffs wife’s lover’s body in a trash can
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, a man who returned home unexpectedly from a trip allegedly discovered his wife in bed with an 18-year-old man, leading to a deadly altercation.
Authorities say Jonathan Belk, 41, fatally stabbed Billy J. Floyd before stuffing his body into a trash can.
The incident occurred on Saturday at a residence along Powerline Road in Dunlap, approximately 40 miles north of Chattanooga.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, Belk was reportedly standing in the doorway covered in blood.
Officers later discovered Floyd’s body crammed into a trash can in a fetal position, according to reports.
Belk allegedly confessed to the killing, admitting that he attacked Floyd during an altercation.
Police say Belk’s wife also sustained multiple stab wounds and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
When detectives asked Belk whether he had any concerns outside of his legal predicament, he allegedly responded, “I am worried about my relationship with my wife due to the fact that I offed him.”
Belk is facing multiple charges, including criminal homicide, and remains in custody at the Sequatchie County Jail.
Husband stashes wife’s body in a corn field
In Wisconsin, a 70-year-old man has been taken into custody after allegedly killing his wife and disposing of her body in a cornfield.
Gordon Charles Laakso is facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide, domestic abuse by strangulation and suffocation, and concealing a corpse in connection with the death of his wife, 68-year-old Mary Laakso.
The New Richmond Police Department stated in a press release that officers were dispatched to the Laakso residence around 1:45 p.m. on Sunday after receiving reports of a possible domestic disturbance.
The 911 caller had expressed concern following unsettling statements made by Gordon Laakso, suggesting he may have harmed his wife.
Upon arriving at the home on Bluff Border Road, officers found Gordon Laakso but were unable to locate his wife. Their attempts to reach her by phone were also unsuccessful.
Roughly two hours later, investigators discovered Mary Laakso’s body at the edge of a cornfield in rural Polk County, located north of New Richmond.
According to an affidavit obtained by WEAU, when confronted by police, Laakso claimed his wife had been “rambling” at him for seven hours before becoming physically aggressive.
He alleged that the situation escalated beyond his control but provided little further explanation to officers.
Laakso later admitted that he was aware his wife had died, but instead of seeking medical help, he panicked and abandoned her body in the remote field.
When asked about his wife’s whereabouts, Laakso reportedly asked investigators, “Oh, you didn’t find her?” before stating plainly, “She’s dead.”
Authorities say they found bloody gloves and multiple firearms during a search of the residence.
Laakso was booked into the St. Croix County Jail, where he remains on a $1 million bond.
