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Denton murder suspect kept fiancée's body for 2 weeks
The suspect in a recent Denton murder reportedly told police he shot his fiancée with a shotgun weeks before her body was discovered in his home.
William Joseph Oddo III
DENTON, Texas - The suspect in a recent Denton murder reportedly told police he shot his fiancée with a shotgun weeks before her body was discovered in his home.
Updated information from a newly obtained arrest document says police discovered the victim after a concerned caller reported a foul smell coming from the suspect's apartment.
Denton Murder Arrest
The Latest:
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by FOX 4, Denton police conducted an interview with William Joseph Oddo III, 52, after finding his fiancée, 39-year-old LaVera Wardell, dead in the apartment they shared in the 5200 block of Par Drive.
Oddo reportedly told police, who had been alerted to a "very foul smell" coming from the apartment, that he and Wardell had gotten into an argument on May 6. He said the argument turned physical and claimed Wardell ran at him with a knife, prompting him to shoot her with a shotgun, according the document.
Oddo's tampering with evidence charge came from the belief that he attempted to clean the crime scene in an effort to prevent Wardell's body from being found. The arrest document says Oddo was found on surveillance video buying cleaning supplies at multiple locations on May 13; a full week after Wardell's murder, and nearly a week before her discovery on May 19.
The document also says it was observed that the walls and floor had been cleaned of blood evidence. Oddo reportedly admitted to cleaning the scene, saying it was because he "wanted to lay with" Wardell, which the document says happened for three days after her death.
After the initial investigation, an arrest warrant was signed for Oddo on a charge of murder on May 28. He was arrested on Monday.
The backstory:
Previous information from the Denton Police Department said Oddo was arrested at a motel in Mount Pleasant on June 2. The affidavit says he told police he had left his apartment due to the smell.
Oddo was booked into the Denton County Jail on charges of murder and tampering with evidence. His bond has been set at $160,000.
What they're saying:
A neighbor at the apartment complex said Oddo and Wardell lived in a busy area of the complex.
"It's honestly heartbreaking. I don't know how it was right above the office. It's the penthouse above the office and right next to the gym," the resident said.
Denton police say there was a history of domestic violence calls related to the couple.
The Source: Information in this article came from the Denton Police Department.