Suspect arrested after human remains found in 3 suitcases in Florida
A man has been arrested for first-degree murder after remains belonging to his wife were found in three suitcases in Florida last month, court records show.
The three suitcases were uncovered in the Intracoastal Waterway after someone called 911 to report something strange in the waterway on July 21, the Delray Beach Police Department said.
The remains were believed to be that of "a white or Hispanic middle-aged woman with brown hair and approximately 5'4" tall," police said amid their investigation following the gruesome discovery. One of the suitcases had a sticker with the name, "Latam, MIA, Barbosa," on it, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The investigation, including reviewing surveillance footage, led police to execute a search warrant on Monday in the home of William Lowe, 78, of Delray Beach, court records show. They found "blood spatter throughout the residence," including in the living room, dining room and primary bathroom, according to the affidavit.
A search of Lowe's storage unit also uncovered a chainsaw that appeared to have blood and other human remains on it, according to the affidavit.
During an interview with police on Monday, Lowe reportedly said that his wife, Aydil Barbosa Fontes, had been in Brazil for "about 3 weeks," but when asked, he did not know how she got to the airport, what airline she flew or the last time he spoke to her, according to the affidavit.
When shown photos of two of the suitcases the victim's remains were found in, Lowe reportedly said he had never seen them before, according to the affidavit. When asked by police why there would be a sticker with his wife's name on it on one of the suitcases, he reportedly replied, "I don't know," according to the affidavit.
On Tuesday, the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim through dental records as Aydil Barbosa Fontes, according to the affidavit. The medical examiner determined the manner of death to be homicide and the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit.
Lowe was booked into the Palm Beach County jail on Wednesday on first-degree murder and abuse of a dead body, online jail records show. He appeared in court Thursday and was not granted bond, police said. His attorney information wasn't immediately available.
Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager thanked the community for providing tips that helped lead police to a suspect in the "heinous crime."
"Although we can never fully repair what has transpired, it is our hope that our office can somehow bring peace to the victim and her family," Mager said during a press briefing on Thursday.
ABC News' Teddy Grant and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.
