Florida Murder: Husband Arrested After Wife's Remains Were Discovered in 3 Suitcases
Police have taken a Floridan man into custody after the death of his wife who was shot in the head before her body was dismembered and subsequently discovered inside three suitcases found floating in various locations within the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

A suspect has been arrested in connection to a Florida murder case last month.

Court records reveal that the Florida man was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the discovery of human remains found in three suitcases, ABC News noted.

The grim discovery came to light after a concerned individual contacted emergency services to report a suspicious object in the Intracoastal Waterway on July 21.

A subsequent investigation by the Delray Beach Police Department revealed that the remains belonged to a woman of either white or Hispanic descent, in her middle age, with brown hair, and standing approximately 5'4" tall.

During the investigation, authorities uncovered crucial evidence, including a sticker affixed to one of the suitcases bearing the name "Latam, MIA, Barbosa," as detailed in the probable cause affidavit.

Florida Murder Victim Identified

Authorities have released a photo rendering of the potential appearance of the murder victim before her tragic demise and subsequent placement of her remains in three suitcases.

The victim has been successfully identified as Aydil Barbosa Fontes, 80, through her dental records, per CBS News.

Investigators suspect that the woman was murdered sometime between July 17 and July 20.

In their efforts to identify the victim and apprehend the killer, authorities sought the public's assistance, releasing a written statement about the case.

According to reports from The Palm Beach Post, the victim's remains had already begun decomposing when a construction worker made the grisly discovery of the first suitcase containing her body.

Subsequently, police were alerted to the presence of two additional suitcases found floating in the waterway.

Investigators Identified Florida Murder Suspect Through Witnesses, Surveillance Video

Residents living along the waterway provided crucial information to investigators regarding a man who was seen near the floating suitcases on July 20, according to NBC Miami.

One witness recounted approaching the man and asking what he was doing.

The man responded that he was "waiting for the big boat to come into the harbor" before quickly leaving the area in an older model gold sedan, appearing nervous throughout the encounter.

Another witness observed a man using a dock ladder to access the waterway and pushing something into the water.

Surveillance footage from nearby corroborated these sightings, showing the same man climbing the dock ladder twice on July 20.

Detectives later found blood on a dock ladder near one of the discovered suitcases.

Witness testimonies from three roof workers revealed additional sightings of the man on July 21, standing on the seawall and appearing agitated before leaving the scene.

Based on the witnesses' descriptions of the man's car as a gold sedan or a Ford, a detective was able to locate a gold Ford Taurus nearby.

The vehicle's registration led the investigators to William Lowe and the apartment he shared with Aydil Barbosa Fontes.

During questioning on July 31, Lowe told detectives that Fontes was in Brazil and had been there for approximately three weeks.

However, he claimed not to know the details of her departure, including which airline she flew with and the last time they had spoken.

Subsequent searches of the couple's apartment yielded a disturbing discovery. Blood splatters were found throughout various areas.

Investigators also uncovered a black cover for a Ryobi chainsaw, a charger for the chainsaw battery, and multiple bottles of cleaning supplies.

Detectives also searched the storage unit, where they found a Ryobi chainsaw containing potential evidence, such as blood, bone matter, flesh, and human hair.

At a news conference, Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager highlighted the relentless efforts of investigators to solve this "heinous crime."

Lead Detective Mike Liberta stated that the motive for the killing remains unknown, as Lowe has hired a lawyer and stopped cooperating with authorities.

William Lowe was being held without bond as of the report's publication, and information about his attorney was not available.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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