An Alvarado man is in custody in Southeast Texas, arrested Monday on a murder charge in connection with the death of his 33-year-old wife, a teacher in the Alvarado ISD.
According to Alvarado Police Assistant Chief Ben Moore, Brandon Ashley was arrested near Huntsville on Monday after his wife, Chelsea Spillers, was found dead in their home on Saturday afternoon.
Moore told NBC 5 that on Thursday a neighbor called police and reported possible domestic violence at the couple’s home in Alvarado. When officers arrived, they said Brandon Ashley put a gun to his head and was eventually arrested for interference of official duty. Moore said Ashley’s wife later bonded him out of jail.
Moore said the couple lived in Alvarado for about six months and though they had a history of domestic violence, this was the first time Alvarado officers had been called to their home.
At about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Moore said Alvarado Police were asked to perform a welfare check at the couple’s home. He said officers arrived and reported finding Spillers deceased.
At the time, police said they were investigating an “unexplained death” and they did not publicly identify any suspects. Following a preliminary examination by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, Moore said the woman’s cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma and they issued a murder warrant for Brandon Ashley.
Victim’s husband arrested in Southeast Texas
On Monday morning, officials in the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they’d arrested Ashley after receiving several calls about the man on Sunday.
The Grimes County Sheriff’s Office said they received reports of the man knocking on several doors asking for a shirt and mentioning he was avoiding State Highway 90 because there were “too many cops.” The sheriff’s office said another caller reported the man trespassing at a home in Bedias and that he appeared to be “experiencing a possible mental health episode” and that he may have been armed with a pistol.
Deputies searched for the man through the night, but didn’t find the man until about 10 a.m. Monday at a local business. The man was not armed, but officials said he’d hidden a gun nearby and that it was recovered. Grimes County deputies arrested the man and identified him as Brandon Ashley.
They said Ashley was taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation and treatment and that he would be booked into the Grimes County Jail after he’s released from the hospital.
Alvarado Police confirmed Monday afternoon that Ashley has been charged with murder and will be extradited to Johnson County. It’s unclear if Ashley has obtained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
No further information has been released by the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office or the Alvarado Police Department. Both agencies said their investigations are open and ongoing and they ask for anyone with information about the case to contact them.
‘A dedicated educator’
The Alvarado ISD confirmed on Sunday that Chelsea Spillers was employed by the school district and on their website they listed her among the faculty as a biology and chemistry teacher.
“We were saddened to hear of the tragic passing of a beloved Alvarado High School educator, Chelsea Spillers, on Saturday,” the district said. “She was a dedicated educator who loved her scholars and Alvarado ISD team.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and our entire Alvarado ISD family.”
The district said they would make counselors available to students and staff for as long as they were needed.
Bedias is located west of Hunstville in Southeast Texas, about 135 miles from Alvarado.