A Texas man who police say searched online for what consequences he would face for “killing an illegal immigrant” was accused of fatally shooting his fiancé earlier this year and staging it as a suicide, according to a bail order obtained by HuffPost.
Ty Vaughn, 31, was charged with murder in connection to the death of his fiancé Luis Banos Norberto, 27, local ABC affiliate KTRK reported. The younger man was found dead on Jan. 17 inside the couple’s apartment in Baytown, local police announced Monday, referring to the victim as simply Luis Banos.
Officers responded to the home around 5:30 that morning to a call from Vaughn, who told dispatchers he had discovered Norberto deceased with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to the press release.
“My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over,” Vaughn told dispatchers, according to court documents cited by KTRK.
Police found Banos Norberto lying on a bed with a gunshot wound to one of his eyes and a rifle placed on one of his arms, according to KTRK. Next to him was a torn-up photo of Vaughn.
During his interview with police, Vaughn had repeatedly mentioned Banos Norberto’s immigration status without being asked, according to KTRK. Banos Norberto’s obituary stated that he was born Guerrero, Mexico, before moving to the United States.
Vaughn told police that he had had an argument with Banos Norberto about communicating with an ex-boyfriend before he left their home to visit his mother, according to the bail order. Vaughn said he returned home around 4:00 a.m., intoxicated, and found his fiancé deceased.
However, police wrote in the press release that Vaughn’s statements in the interview were inconsistent.
Two witnesses told police they heard a loud noise around the time Vaughn claimed to have returned home. Further investigation revealed that Vaughn had searched online to determine the legal ramifications of a “legal citizen” killing an “illegal immigrant,” according to the bail order.
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Vaughn is specifically accused of searching Google for the term “Can I kill an illegal human?” according to KTRK.
An attorney representing Vaughn could not immediately be reached. He is currently in Harris County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.