Husband Arrested After Wife's Dismembered Remains Found In Three Separate Suitcases

In a press release Friday, Delray Beach Police Department confirmed the arrest of William Lowe Jr., 78, in connection with the murder of his 80-year-old wife, Aydil Barbosa Fontes. He faces one count each of murder in the first degree and abuse of a dead body.

The case caught the attention of the entire country, after police solicited the help of the public in identifying the victim, before dental records later provided a positive ID and they continued to hone in on the victim's husband.

The arrest affidavit for Lowe (via Law & Crime) lays out the timeline of the investigation, claiming Lowe returned to the area where the body was dumped multiple times, including while police were searching the area. It also explains how he first caught their eye and how he allegedly reacted with initially confronted with questions about his wife.

According to the docs, on July 21, Delray Beach Police received a call about a suitcase possibly containing human remains -- something which was confirmed when detectives responded and saw a "human foot protruding through the zipper." The first suitcase contained human legs, as well as several small rocks. A sticker on the bag also appeared to read "Latam, MIA, Barbosa [Unreadable character] Ontes"

Another witness found a second suitcase an hour later, also containing human remains -- this time a torso, without a head or hands, and, again, rocks. A third suitcase containing a human female pelvis, as well as a Cheesecake Factory bag filled with rocks, was discovered shortly after.

The next day, July 22, a tote bag wrapped in a men's belt was discovered in the intra-coastal waterway, containing a human head which appeared to have a single gunshot wound behind the victim's ear, which was later confirmed as the cause of death. A purse was also located nearby, tied shut in a similar manner to one of the bags and possibly weighed down by an ashtray.

Initially, the police department reached out to the public for more help identifying the victim, believing the homicide occurred sometime between July 17th and 20th. They released reconstructed images of what they believed the victim "may look like," thinking she was white or Hispanic, between the ages of 35 and 55, with tattooed eyebrows. They also released photos of the floral top she was wearing, as well as photos of two of the suitcases, believing they were "unique" and could bring in more leads.

As the investigation continued, authorities also interviewed a witness who reported seeing a man in his 50s or 60s "looking into the intra-coastal waterway" for several days before the discovery -- stating he "appeared to be looking at the suitcase." The witness said they saw him 5-6 times over just three days and at one point even asked the man what he was looking at. He allegedly told the witness he was "waiting for the big boat to come into the harbor," but the witness said it was "too shallow" for a big boat. He also said the man "appeared nervous" and "immediately walked over to his car" after being questioned.

Another witness also reported seeing a man matching the same description as one mentioned above in the area on July 21, looking at a different suitcase and saying, "S---" before driving off in a Ford.

During their investigation, detectives spotted a dock ladder which appeared to have blood on it, before a witness also said they had seen a man matching the previous description use the ladder, while holding a metal pole which he used to attempt "to push or scrape something in the waterway."

Surveillance video from the area on July 20 showed a shirtless man carrying what appeared to be a Cheesecake Factory Bag which "appeared to have some weight to it" climbing down the ladder, before disappearing from view of the camera. When he reemerged a several minutes later, he was no longer holding the bag ... and he left his shoes at the scene.

A Ford was then spotted by police in the area where the body were dumped on July 24, after the remains had been discovered. After running the plates, cops landed on Lowe, who lives in an apartment just .01 miles from where one of the suitcases was discovered. Records also showed he lived with a woman named Aydil Barbosa Fontes, whose name seemed to match the sticker on the suitcase. She was later identified by Lowe as his wife.

During an interview with Lowe, he allegedly told police his wife was in Brazil for "about 3 weeks," but had no idea how she made it to the airport, what airline she flew or when they last spoke. Officers say he also told them he had never seen the suitcases in question and wasn't sure why her name would be on them.

A search warrant was executed on the apartment on July 31, with detectives allegedly finding "blood spatter throughout the residence," including in the bedroom, dining room, living room, hallway, and both bathrooms. Drag marks were also discovered all around the home, said police, as well as cleaning supplies also covered in blood spatter. According to cops, Lowe "attempted to enter the residence through the rear window" during their search, but was quickly stopped from doing so by officers on the scene. Per the affidavit, Lowe said he was trying to get his phone and keys to a storage unit, for which authorities later obtained a search warrant.

On August 1st, Fontes was identified as the victim through medical records.

A neighbor interviewed reportedly said she hadn't seen the victim for a "couple of weeks" ... and claimed Lowe would often leave flowers at her own doorstep, something the suspect confirmed to police. Another neighbor said three weeks ago they spotted what they initially thought was a "trail of soup" leading from the door of Lowe's apartment, down the hall and up the stairs to another apartment above his, which belongs to his sister, who hasn't been seen in the building in years; the maintenance man for the building cleaned it up with 409.

During a search of the sister's apartment, detectives found the charger for a Ryobi chainsaw and more cleaning supplies -- while a search of the storage unit itself produced a chainsaw "that appeared to have blood" on it, as well as "bone matter, flesh and human hair." A cooler which detectives believe had red marks and stains from blood was also found in the unit. A warrant was then issued for Lowe's arrest.

Lowe was arrested on Wednesday and is being held at Palm Beach County Jail. During his first court appearance Thursday, Lowe pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and abuse of a dead body, per court records via CNN.

Marc Shiner, an attorney representing Lowe, told CNN that Lowe is a “former Marine who honorably served our country," adding the defendant "is looking forward for the entire truth to come out in the courtroom."

"This murder has gripped our community," said Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager in a statement Friday. "Many thoughtful people have provided information which has proved valuable to the case. Since day one, our detectives and officers worked tirelessly to identify the victim and bring her killer to justice."

So far, no motive has been revealed, with Mager adding, "It is my hope that our efforts can bring peace to the victim’s family."