Alvarado ISD Teacher Murder: Affidavit reveals suicide threats, explicit texts & strangulation

JOHNSON COUNTY, Texas - A domestic disturbance in Alvarado on a Thursday escalated into a murder investigation the very next day, which led to the arrest of Brandon Ashley about 180 miles away. 

Ashley is charged with the murder of his wife, Chelsea Dawn Spillers, after her body was discovered in their home following a welfare check. The timeline of events, detailed in the arrest affidavit, paints a picture of violence, deception, and a flight from justice.

Alvarado Teacher Found Murdered

Timeline:

On Oct. 17, Alvarado Police were called to Chelsea's home in the 200 block of S. Magnolia Ave. in reference to a domestic disturbance between Brandon Ashley and his wife Chelsea. The officer spoke to Brandon, who "immediately put a handgun to his own head and threatened suicide." The officer was able to talk Brandon into dropping the weapon and put him in custody. He was arrested and booked into the Johnson County Jail for Interfere with Public Duties. He was released from jail the following morning on Oct. 18, 2025.

Alvarado Police were called to the 200 block of S. Magnolia Ave. for a welfare check around 5 p.m. On Oct. 18, 2025.

A friend of 33-year-old Chelsea Dawn Spillers called police and said she was concerned for Chelsea's safety, saying Chelsea and her husband Brandon Ashley were involved in a domestic dispute and no one had been able to make contact with Chelsea.

The friend is also friends with Brandon Ashley's sister. The sister messaged the friend saying Brandon told her Chelsea was dead in the den of the house. The friend also told police Brandon was on his way to her house to drop off him and Chelsea's son, and that if he was stopped by police, he would kill his son.

Officers arrived at Chelsea's home and no one answered. Officers forced entry into the home and found Chelsea dead in the den. Care Flight EMS said it appeared her neck was broken.

The investigator arrived and was told Brandon Ashley was not at the scene, but was driving a black Cadillac Escalade. Officers were staged around the home in case he returned.

The investigator entered through the front door to view the scene. He noted blood on the floor leading into the den doorway and on the floor in the den. It appeared to him Chelsea had been strangled, because of the bruising he could see on her neck.

During the investigation, officers learned Brandon Ashley told his sister that Chelsea went into their son's room to shoot him and "he began fighting with her, and she had a seizure and fell and hit her head." The investigator said the injuries to Chelsea's body were not consistent with falling and striking her head. It is not clear if "he" is Brandon Ashley or their son.

Explicit Text Messages

Alvarado ISD Chief of Police contacted the investigator and said one of the employees received unsolicited sexually explicit text messages from Chelsea at 9:53 a.m. on Oct. 18. The text was a photo of Chelsea in lingerie and stated she was leaving her husband to go stay in Houston, and wanted to meet up with the employee on Monday before she left.

The employee met with investigators and said he had known Chelsea for three years, and they were not in a romantic relationship and had no interactions with her outside of work. Investigators searched through the text exchange between the employee and Chelsea. The investigator learned the number that sent the explicit text messages was from Brandon's cell phone. They believe Brandon was pretending to be Chelsea and sent the messages.

The employee told police the last time they spoke to Chelsea was on Oct. 14 at school. She told him she needed to leave and resign from her job and asked for advice on how to tell school administration.

He said Chelsea showed up to work two weeks before with a black eye, but Chelsea told co-workers she slipped on a wet bathroom floor and hit her face on the bathtub.

Brandon Ashley's Arrest

In Bedias, the Grimes County Sheriff's Office received a report on Oct. 19, just after 7 p.m., of a white male trespassing at a home off of FM 1696. Bedias is about two and a half hours southeast of Alvarado in Grimes County.

The caller reported the male was wearing black shorts and no shirt, and appeared to be experiencing a possible mental health episode. He was also possibly in possession of a pistol. 

Several residents said the same man had knocked on several doors earlier in the day asking for a shirt. He also reportedly said he was avoiding State Highway 90 because there were "too many cops." Deputies patrolled the area, but were not able to find him.

The next morning, around 9 a.m., the Grimes County dispatch received a call of a suspicious vehicle on private property near CR 115. The caller said the black Cadillac Escalade was found on pastureland and was possibly stolen. 

Then, just after 10 a.m., residents reported the suspicious man had been seen at a convenience store in Bedias. Surveillance video was recovered. The man later returned to the convenience store, and it was reported to law enforcement. The man was arrested at 10:12 a.m., the sheriff's office reports. The man, identified as Brandon Ashley, claimed to have hidden a firearm near the convenience store, but refused to say where. 

Deputies found the firearm around 10:45 a.m. It is described as an Astra .357 caliber revolver.

Brandon Ashley was arrested in Bedias, Texas on Oct. 20. He is being charged with murder.

He was taken to the emergency room for a medical evaluation and treatment. He was then taken to the Grimes County Jail. He has been extradited to Johnson County. His bond has been set at $1,000,000.

About Chelsea Spillers

According to her obituary, Chelsea Spillers was born in Duncanville, Texas. She had been a teacher for five years. Spillers taught biology and chemistry at Alvarado High School. People described her as a happy and energetic teacher. 

"Chelsea was not just a high school teacher; she was a mentor, a role model, and a guiding light to countless students whom she taught throughout her five-year career in Education. Her passion for her work was evident to all who knew her. Chelsea's pride at earning her teaching certificate was only surpassed by the love she held for her students. She was a firm believer in the words of Henry Adams, "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." Chelsea embodied this quote, leaving a lasting impression on her students and shaping the future one class at a time."

Information for funeral services has not been announced.

Teacher honored at Alvarado ISD football game

Dig deeper:

The media was not allowed inside the stadium to respect the students' privacy, but from a spot in the visitors' parking lot. You can see the home stands are packed and people are wearing purple ribbons with Chelsea Spillers' name on them. 

Everyone joined in a moment of silence to honor her before tonight's football game.

"My heart goes out to her family and her son. And I hope they get justice," said one Alvarado ISD parent, Shannah Villarruel. "She just made a huge impact. On the lives of these students and those who knew her." 

What you can do:

If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text them at 88788 with the message "BEGIN."

If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 (Crisis Text Line). As of July 2022, those searching for help can also call 988 to be relayed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 

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