Florida husband arrested for murder of wife after human remains found in suitcases

Darryl Coote
·2 min read
Human remains were found in three suitcases, a tote bag and a purse last month, sparking a homicide investigation. Photo courtesy of Delray Beach Police Department/Facebook
Human remains were found in three suitcases, a tote bag and a purse last month, sparking a homicide investigation. Photo courtesy of Delray Beach Police Department/Facebook

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said a man has been arrested on charges of murder after human remains belonging to a woman were discovered in three suitcases last month in the city of Delray Beach.

Police in the city of some 67,000 people located about 50 miles north of Miami have been investigating the human remains since they were found in three suitcases in the Intracoastal Waterway on July 21.

Investigators said they believed the remains belonged to a sole woman described as either White or Latin American between the ages of 35 and 55.

On Thursday, police chief Russ Mager identified the woman to reporters during a press conference as 80-year-old Aydil Barbosa Fontes.

Her husband, William Lowe, 78, was arrested Wednesday night and was charged with first-degree murder and abusing a dead body, Mager said, adding that Thursday morning he was denied bail.

Police in Delray Beach late last month released a recreated image of the victim whose body was found in three briefcases in the Intracoastal Waterway on July 21. On July 22, more remains were found in two additional bags. Photo courtesy of Delray Beach Police Department/Facebook
Police in Delray Beach late last month released a recreated image of the victim whose body was found in three briefcases in the Intracoastal Waterway on July 21. On July 22, more remains were found in two additional bags. Photo courtesy of Delray Beach Police Department/Facebook

Mike Liberta, lead detective on the case, told reporters that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.

He said that police were led to Lowe via investigative work that uncovered witnesses and surveillance footage concerning a vehicle and a suspect that had been seen multiple times in the area prior to the discovery of the suitcases.

He added that an additional search on July 22 also uncovered two more bags -- a tote bag and a purse -- containing additional human remains belonging to Fontes.

The investigative work produced a vehicle tag, which led authorities to Lowe's residence, where numerous search warrants were executed and evidence of a crime was committed was found.

"There was blood splattered in the apartment," Liberta said.

Police also discovered a chainsaw in a storage unit they believed was used in the crime, he said.

The detective added that Lowe was identified as a suspect first and his wife was identified as his alleged victim afterward.

Asked what explanation Lowe offered police as to why he'd commit such a crime, Liberta replied he had obtained counsel and did not make a statement.

"We do not" have a motive at this time, he said.