A Florida man was arrested this week for murdering his wife of 15 years after police found her remains inside three separate suitcases at a beach last month.
Delray Beach Police Detective Michael Liberta said, William Lowe, 78, was arrested Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a dead body.
Police stated that Lowe shot his 80-year old wife, Aydil Barbosa Fontes, in the head at their Delray apartment. He then proceeded to dismember her body, placed them in three separate suitcases and other bags before dumping them into the Intercostal Waterway.
Investigators working on the case, believe that Fontes was killed sometime between July 17 and July 20. They have been trying to identify the woman and last week released a reconstructed picture of what the victim may have looked like. The palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Imaging Unit worked tirelessly to render a photo.
However, it was Fontes’ dental records that eventually identified her in the end and allowed authorities to track down her relatives.
On July 21, the Delray Beach Police Department said they received a 911 call about a suspicious item in the water along the Intracoastal Waterway.
The first suitcase that was reported and opened contained a pair of human legs. A second suitcase revealed a human torso and small landscaping rocks. Lastly, the third suitcase carried the woman’s pelvis and more rocks.
The next day, a tote-like bag was found in the water containing a human head with a gunshot wound.
Detective Liberta said, “Interviews with witnesses and surveillance footage helped police identify the suspect as Lowe. Witnesses saw an older man looking at the third suitcase in the water approximately 5-6 times over a three day period before police made the discovery.”
“Another witness spotted a man with a similar description getting into a vehicle near where a suitcase was believed to be dumped. Days later, an investigator noticed a gold Ford Taurus registered to Lowe in the vicinity of the crime scene,” added Liberta.
During Lowe’s interrogation, he said that his wife had been in Brazil for around three weeks and that he wasn’t quite sure when he last spoke to her. Lowe also said that he didn’t know why his wife’s name was on an airline barcode sticker found on one of the suitcases.
Meanwhile, police searched Lowe’s home on July 31 and uncovered large amounts of blood in the living room, dining room, main bedroom, and in the tubs and drains of the bathrooms. Investigators also found a 9mm handgun with cleaning supplies containing blood splatter.
On August 2, investigators searched a storage unit in Lowe’s name. Inside they found a chainsaw containing bone matter, flesh, and human hair.
Lowe pleaded not guilty and is being held in Palm Beach County Jail without bond. Mark Shiner, Lowe’s attorney said, “My client is looking forward for the entire truth to come out in the courtroom.”
Investigators are still currently trying to put a motive together on why Lowe would commit such a horrific crime.
