A Texas man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing his wife by striking her with a clothing iron.
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Local news outlet ABC 13 Houston reported that 34-year-old Chance Zane Chavez has been charged with the murder of his wife, 32-year-old Kristen Chavez.
In a statement released by the Houston Police Department on Thursday, March 13, authorities announced that charges had been filed against Chance. This follows the discovery of a woman at 5126 Emma Forest Street around 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12.
“The suspect, Chance Zane Chavez, 34, is charged with murder in the 176th State District Court,” the release detailed. “The identity of the victim, 32, is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.”
In the release, HPD Homicide Division Sergeant R. Olive and Detective T. Tyler detailed the grisly scene.
“Officers were dispatched to a call about a suspicious event at the residence at the above address,” they explained. “Upon arrival, they observed a male, Chavez, standing in the doorway with his hands up.”
Detective Tyler noted that the suspect’s arms, legs, and clothing were stained with blood.
“Officers secured him in the back of a patrol car and then searched the house for anyone injured,” the statement added.
“A female, Chavez’s wife, was discovered unresponsive in a bedroom,” Detective Tyler detailed. “She had suffered blunt force trauma to her body and was pronounced deceased by paramedics. Chavez was arrested, subsequently charged, and booked into the Harris County Jail.”
Family of Texas Woman Allegedly Killed by Her Husband with a Clothing Iron Said She Saw ‘The Good in People’
Meanwhile, Kristen’s mother, Laura Bell, described her daughter’s marriage as troubled, stating Kristen stayed in it hoping for change.
“It was not a good situation,” she told Fox 26 Houston. “She tried to see the good in people even though they tried to take advantage of that,” her brother Devin Cervantes told the outlet.
Initially, Chance was held in Harris County Jail on a $250,000 bond. However, on Monday, March 17, the bond was raised to $500,000 after an online petition garnered over 9,000 signatures.
“We’re hoping that he remains in jail until the trial and throughout the trial, for him to be held accountable for what he’s done,” Bell explained to Fox 26 Houston.