Texas teacher Chelsea Spillers, 33, is found dead inside her home, and her half-naked husband is nabbed hours later for her murder. The sister of a Houston, Texas man found hanging and burned under a freeway overpass says her brother was murdered—and she’s begging for justice. A South Carolina death row inmate who once taunted investigators with messages written in his victim’s blood has chosen to die by firing squad. Drew Nelson reports.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alert. I'm Nancy Grace, breaking crime news. Now a
half naked Texas man wandering around the streets asking for
a shirt, Concerned neighbors call police, and now Brandon Ashley
facing murder charges in the death of his wife, Chelsea Spillers.
Detective say, Chelsea High School biology teacher died by blunt
force trauma in her own home. Straight out to Drew
(00:23):
Nelson for more. She was a wonderful lady, very loved
by the entire community.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Nancy. That's Alvareto High School teacher Shanna Valarel showing our
TV news partners at Fox four KDFW one of hundreds
of purple ribbons she helped students make, bearing miss Spiller's name.
Police say Spillers, h thirty three, was found dead in
her home on October eighteenth. Her husband, forty year old
Brandon Ashley, was later arrested in b Dies in Grimes County,
(00:51):
about one hundred and fifty miles south of Alboreto. After
those reports of the half naked man asking for a shirt,
deputy said he seemed to be in a mental health crisis.
Investigators said Alvareto police first went to the couple's home
on a disturbance call. When they got there, Ashley allegedly
held a gun to his head. He was arrested for
interfering with public duties and bonded out the next morning.
(01:12):
Two days later, officers were sent back for a welfare check.
They found Spillers dead inside the house. Her cause of
death ruled blunt force trauma. For this to happen to
her and the way it happened, it's heartbreaking, Grimes County
deputies said. Ashley was found outside a convenience store in
b Dies. He told officers he had hidden a gun nearby,
(01:32):
but refused to say where. Deputies later found a three
point fifty seven revolver and confirmed that he was wanted
for murder out of Johnson County. He was taken to
the hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Grimes
County jail. Mikaela Norris as a former freshman and sophomore
student of Miss Spillers.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
It's still feels surreal because, like, how can someone do that?
I feel like though she's gone, she still lives. She
lives through all of the students.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
She touched Spiller's tyology and chemistry and was known for
her upbeat attitude and for making a real connection with
her students. The Albareto Independent School District called her quote
a dedicated educator who loved her students and Alboreto ISD team.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than six thousand dollars
toward a modest goal to help her eleven year old
(02:19):
son and her mother, who was also a teacher who
spent forty years at mid Lothian High School. Friends and
former students described her as compassionate, intelligent, and fiercely dedicated
to her family. Spiller's funeral was held in Midlothian, where
she grew up and graduated in twenty ten. She survived
by her son Rylan, her mother and stepfather, Patty and
(02:39):
Kevin Tiller, her sister, Courtney Castillo, and her grandmother Caroline.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Spiller's thanks drew more crime and justice news after this.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
The sister of a Houston, Texas man found hanging and
burned under a freeway overpass says her brother was murdered
and she is begging for justice. This Jeremy Glenn Carnes,
age forty six, was discovered beneath the Eye six' Ten
North loop overpass Near Kirkpatrick boulevard After Union Pacific railroad
workers reported what they believed was a brush. Fire when
(03:13):
the first responders, arrived they found a man's body hanging
from a rope and. Burning police have opened a homicide.
Investigation people look at homeless people.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
And they don't see a human.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Good bye to. As carnes Sister Camilla, kidd told OUR
tv news partners At fox twenty Six houston she believes
her brother was targeted and killed by people who attacked him.
Earlier he was in the hospital two days before this
happened he was. Attacked carn's family said he was terrified
for his. Safety police have not announced any. Suspects investigators
(03:48):
said the combination of hanging and fire makes suicide quote highly.
Unlikely known in his hometown Of, Alvin texas by the Nickname,
Boogie carnes is remembered by relatives as, fearless, funny and.
Kind his obituary describes him as a man devoted to
his two, Children leelu And, logan and a man whose
quote end of life was unfair and. Tragic carnes Blue
(04:09):
healer Dog, cross who was missing after the, killing has
since been found and reunited with the family and may be.
PREGNANT a GoFundMe started by his sister has raised funds
to cover his funeral expenses and future expenses for cross
and travel for his children to attend the celebration of
life on the twenty. Ninth kid says her brother struggled with.
HOMELESSNESS i promise.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
You As god as my, witness there's nothing he could
have deserved.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
That the candlelight visil was held near the overpass where
his body was, found where his sister vowed to keep
pushing for. Answers anyone with information has urged to contact
The Houston Police Homicide division at seven one three three
eight thirty six. HUNDRED A South carolina death row inmate
who once taunted investigators with messages written in his victim's
(04:56):
blood has chosen to die by firing. Squad condemned forty
four year Old Stephen Corey bryant is scheduled to be
executed on the fourteenth The Broad River Correctional institution In.
Columbia he will become the third inmate this year to
Face South carolina's firing, squad Joining Brad sigmund And Michael.
Maddy bryant's decision to die by bullets comes amid renewed
(05:17):
controversy over the state's firing squad following claims That mahdi's
execution In april was. Botched attorneys From maddy say the
shooters missed his, heart causing him to moan and gasp
for more than a minute before. Dying prison officials insisted
the execution went as planned and that two bullets likely
entered the same wound. Channel bryant pleaded guilty in two
(05:37):
thousand and eight to three murders committed during a week
long rampage across Rural Sumpter county In october two thousand and.
Four prosecutors said he first killed thirty six year Old Clifton,
gainey then gunned down sixty two year Old WILLARD. T.
J teachIn in his, home burning the victim's eyes with
cigarettes before writing quote cash me if you can on
the wall in. Blood candles were lit Around teachin's, body
(06:00):
and a potholder dipped in blood more words quote victim
four in two. Weeks two days, Later bryant shot thirty
five year Old Christopher burgess after meeting him at a convenience.
Store another, Man Clinton, brown survived a gunshot wound in
an earlier. Incident investigators Said bryant's crimes quote Terrorized Sumter
counting and left families fearing a serial killer was on the.
(06:22):
Loose defense attorneys argued That bryant had begged for psychiatric
help before the, killings telling relatives and a probation officer
he was reliving sexual abuse he suffered as a. Child
they said he used math and marijuanas braied with. Insecticide
bryant was sentenced to death For teachin's murder and received
life terms for the. Others his final appeals were rejected last.
(06:43):
Month his death Willmarked South carolina's fiftieth execution since the
death penalty was. Reinstated Thanks drew for the.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Latest crime And justice. Dose go to crimeonline dot com
and please join us for our daily, Podcast Crime, stories
where we do our best to find missing peace, people especially,
children and help solve unsolved. Homicides with this crime, ALERT
I Nancy grace
Crime Alert. I'm Nancy Grace, breaking crime news. Now a
half naked Texas man wandering around the streets asking for
a shirt, Concerned neighbors call police, and now Brandon Ashley
facing murder charges in the death of his wife, Chelsea Spillers.
Detective say, Chelsea High School biology teacher died by blunt
force trauma in her own home. Straight out to Drew
(00:23):
Nelson for more. She was a wonderful lady, very loved
by the entire community.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Nancy. That's Alvareto High School teacher Shanna Valarel showing our
TV news partners at Fox four KDFW one of hundreds
of purple ribbons she helped students make, bearing miss Spiller's name.
Police say Spillers, h thirty three, was found dead in
her home on October eighteenth. Her husband, forty year old
Brandon Ashley, was later arrested in b Dies in Grimes County,
(00:51):
about one hundred and fifty miles south of Alboreto. After
those reports of the half naked man asking for a shirt,
deputy said he seemed to be in a mental health crisis.
Investigators said Alvareto police first went to the couple's home
on a disturbance call. When they got there, Ashley allegedly
held a gun to his head. He was arrested for
interfering with public duties and bonded out the next morning.
(01:12):
Two days later, officers were sent back for a welfare check.
They found Spillers dead inside the house. Her cause of
death ruled blunt force trauma. For this to happen to
her and the way it happened, it's heartbreaking, Grimes County
deputies said. Ashley was found outside a convenience store in
b Dies. He told officers he had hidden a gun nearby,
(01:32):
but refused to say where. Deputies later found a three
point fifty seven revolver and confirmed that he was wanted
for murder out of Johnson County. He was taken to
the hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Grimes
County jail. Mikaela Norris as a former freshman and sophomore
student of Miss Spillers.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
It's still feels surreal because, like, how can someone do that?
I feel like though she's gone, she still lives. She
lives through all of the students.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
She touched Spiller's tyology and chemistry and was known for
her upbeat attitude and for making a real connection with
her students. The Albareto Independent School District called her quote
a dedicated educator who loved her students and Alboreto ISD team.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than six thousand dollars
toward a modest goal to help her eleven year old
(02:19):
son and her mother, who was also a teacher who
spent forty years at mid Lothian High School. Friends and
former students described her as compassionate, intelligent, and fiercely dedicated
to her family. Spiller's funeral was held in Midlothian, where
she grew up and graduated in twenty ten. She survived
by her son Rylan, her mother and stepfather, Patty and
(02:39):
Kevin Tiller, her sister, Courtney Castillo, and her grandmother Caroline.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Spiller's thanks drew more crime and justice news after this.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
The sister of a Houston, Texas man found hanging and
burned under a freeway overpass says her brother was murdered
and she is begging for justice. This Jeremy Glenn Carnes,
age forty six, was discovered beneath the Eye six' Ten
North loop overpass Near Kirkpatrick boulevard After Union Pacific railroad
workers reported what they believed was a brush. Fire when
(03:13):
the first responders, arrived they found a man's body hanging
from a rope and. Burning police have opened a homicide.
Investigation people look at homeless people.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
And they don't see a human.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Good bye to. As carnes Sister Camilla, kidd told OUR
tv news partners At fox twenty Six houston she believes
her brother was targeted and killed by people who attacked him.
Earlier he was in the hospital two days before this
happened he was. Attacked carn's family said he was terrified
for his. Safety police have not announced any. Suspects investigators
(03:48):
said the combination of hanging and fire makes suicide quote highly.
Unlikely known in his hometown Of, Alvin texas by the Nickname,
Boogie carnes is remembered by relatives as, fearless, funny and.
Kind his obituary describes him as a man devoted to
his two, Children leelu And, logan and a man whose
quote end of life was unfair and. Tragic carnes Blue
(04:09):
healer Dog, cross who was missing after the, killing has
since been found and reunited with the family and may be.
PREGNANT a GoFundMe started by his sister has raised funds
to cover his funeral expenses and future expenses for cross
and travel for his children to attend the celebration of
life on the twenty. Ninth kid says her brother struggled with.
HOMELESSNESS i promise.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
You As god as my, witness there's nothing he could
have deserved.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
That the candlelight visil was held near the overpass where
his body was, found where his sister vowed to keep
pushing for. Answers anyone with information has urged to contact
The Houston Police Homicide division at seven one three three
eight thirty six. HUNDRED A South carolina death row inmate
who once taunted investigators with messages written in his victim's
(04:56):
blood has chosen to die by firing. Squad condemned forty
four year Old Stephen Corey bryant is scheduled to be
executed on the fourteenth The Broad River Correctional institution In.
Columbia he will become the third inmate this year to
Face South carolina's firing, squad Joining Brad sigmund And Michael.
Maddy bryant's decision to die by bullets comes amid renewed
(05:17):
controversy over the state's firing squad following claims That mahdi's
execution In april was. Botched attorneys From maddy say the
shooters missed his, heart causing him to moan and gasp
for more than a minute before. Dying prison officials insisted
the execution went as planned and that two bullets likely
entered the same wound. Channel bryant pleaded guilty in two
(05:37):
thousand and eight to three murders committed during a week
long rampage across Rural Sumpter county In october two thousand and.
Four prosecutors said he first killed thirty six year Old Clifton,
gainey then gunned down sixty two year Old WILLARD. T.
J teachIn in his, home burning the victim's eyes with
cigarettes before writing quote cash me if you can on
the wall in. Blood candles were lit Around teachin's, body
(06:00):
and a potholder dipped in blood more words quote victim
four in two. Weeks two days, Later bryant shot thirty
five year Old Christopher burgess after meeting him at a convenience.
Store another, Man Clinton, brown survived a gunshot wound in
an earlier. Incident investigators Said bryant's crimes quote Terrorized Sumter
counting and left families fearing a serial killer was on the.
(06:22):
Loose defense attorneys argued That bryant had begged for psychiatric
help before the, killings telling relatives and a probation officer
he was reliving sexual abuse he suffered as a. Child
they said he used math and marijuanas braied with. Insecticide
bryant was sentenced to death For teachin's murder and received
life terms for the. Others his final appeals were rejected last.
(06:43):
Month his death Willmarked South carolina's fiftieth execution since the
death penalty was. Reinstated Thanks drew for the.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Latest crime And justice. Dose go to crimeonline dot com
and please join us for our daily, Podcast Crime, stories
where we do our best to find missing peace, people especially,
children and help solve unsolved. Homicides with this crime, ALERT
I Nancy grace
Host
Nancy Grace
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