NEED TO KNOW
Audrey Troncoso, 31, is accused of killing and dismembering her “live-in partner” Roland Matthew Sheppard
Police in San Angelo, Texas, arrested Audrey’s father, Mario Valdes Troncoso Jr., on allegations he helped her dispose of Sheppard’s remains, some of which were found in a landfill
At a press conference, San Angelo Police Chief Travis Griffith described the case as one of the “most violent homicides in recent memory”
A Texas woman is accused of killing and dismembering her partner, and authorities say her father helped dispose of the man’s remains.
Audrey Troncoso, 31, was arrested on a murder charge in connection with the death of 34-year-old Roland Matthew Sheppard, according to a press statement from the San Angelo Police Department.
Her father, Mario Valdes Troncoso Jr., 54, is facing a charge of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence after police alleged he helped dispose of Sheppard’s remains, a separate police statement reads.
At a press conference on Thursday, June 25, San Angelo Police Chief Travis Griffith said an anonymous tip received the previous day led officers to a dumpster at an apartment complex on Baker Street.
By the time they arrived, however, the dumpster had already been emptied. Investigators tracked down the garbage truck and searched its contents, discovering what appeared to be “fresh” bloody clothing and a large blood-stained piece of carpet, the chief said.
The evidence gave investigators probable cause to search a home on Parker Street, where Audrey was arrested. Griffith said she had been the “live-in partner” of Sheppard, who they believed was the victim of a homicide that occurred on Tuesday, June 23.
During police questioning, Audrey allegedly confessed to shooting and stabbing Sheppard, causing his death, according to Griffith and an arrest report obtained by PEOPLE.
“Investigators further learned that after the homicide, the suspect attempted to conceal and dispose of the victim’s remains,” police alleged in the press statement.
Some of Sheppard’s remains were later recovered from a landfill. Investigators determined the remains had originated from the same dumpster.
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Police announced the arrest of Audrey’s father in a statement shared on Facebook hours after the press conference.
Griffith described the case as “one of the most violent homicides in recent memory,” adding that investigators are still working to determine what motivated the attack.
Audrey is being held in jail on a $2 million bond, while her father is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to online inmate records from the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. It’s unclear whether either has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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