Florida Man Faces Charges for Allegedly Killing Wife and Discarding Dismembered Remains in Ocean
A 78-year-old Florida man has been charged after he allegedly shot and mutilated his wife with a chainsaw before tossing her remains into the ocean in five sacks. Delray Beach Police announced Thursday that William Lowe Jr. has been charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a human body in connection with the violent death of his 15-year-old wife, Aydil Barbosa Fontes, 80. Since last month, when officers discovered the first of five large bags containing body parts of a woman in the Intracoastal Waterway of the city, they have been searching for the suspect murderer.
According to the arrest affidavit, a bystander contacted police on July 21 after observing a suitcase with a human foot protruding through the zipper. The suitcase containing Barbosa Fontes’ legs and several landscaping pebbles was also marked with a “Barbosa” airline label, but police were unable to identify her immediately. In the following hours, two additional suitcases containing the woman’s torso and pelvis, as well as rocks and barnacles, were discovered only 0.1 miles from the residence Lowe and Barbosa Fontes shared, according to police documents.
The following day, investigators discovered Barbosa Fontes’ cranium inside a tote bag secured with a man’s belt, along with her abandoned purse, which had a decomposition odor. According to police, the 80-year-old woman was fatally shot in the cranium. Lowe has neither acknowledged nor denied killing his wife, but he allegedly told investigators that she had traveled to Brazil three weeks prior to his arrest.
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Lowe Spotted at Suitcase Locations After Discoveries
Multiple witnesses told police that they observed an apprehensive man matching Lowe’s description making frequent visits to the areas where the suitcases were discovered, even after the bags had washed ashore. Three roofers working near the location where Barbosa Fontes’ pelvis was discovered reported seeing Lowe drive up to the area, exit his vehicle, and ascend the seawall to get a better view of the suitcase.
Monday, police purportedly conducted a search of his apartment and discovered blood in six rooms. According to the affidavit, drag traces were observed in the living room, hallway, and master bedroom. Significant quantities of blood were discovered in the living room, dining room, and master ensuite. Throughout the residence, blood-splattered cleaning supplies were discovered. Lowe is accused of attempting to enter his apartment through a window while police were inside, claiming he needed to retrieve his wallet and keys from a desk where a 9mm pistol was later discovered.
Investigators also discovered traces of blood in the condo above Lowe’s that his sister owns but has not occupied for three years. In the weeks before and after he allegedly murdered Barbosa Fontes, Lowe left flowers in front of the neighbor’s door. Later, investigators discovered a chainsaw containing fragments of flash, bone, blood, and hair concealed within Lowe’s adjacent storage unit. The police have not disclosed a motive for the brutal murder, but they are very certain Lowe is responsible. Additionally, it is unknown when Barbosa Fontes was slain. Lowe has pleaded not guilty and is being held without parole at the Palm Beach County Jail.
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Source: New York Post, NBC News
