Wood County man charged in wife's murder

A Texas man is in custody after allegedly shooting his wife in the head and hiding her body in a bathroom for three days.

Deputies with the Wood County Sheriff's Office arrested Weldon Powell on Wednesday for the murder of Brittany Powell. The probable cause affidavit filed in the case details a sequence of events that began when the couple's relatives noticed a lack of contact.

Brittany Powell's brother-in-law reported a welfare concern to Wood County dispatch on Wednesday. He and his wife, Brittany's sister, had not heard from her for three days. The brother-in-law told a responding deputy that the last communication occurred three days prior. On that day, Brittany texted them about a physical altercation with Weldon Powell. When her sister asked if she was safe, she replied that she was not good. She said she would call as soon as she could, but no call ever came.

The brother-in-law noted that neither Brittany nor Weldon showed up for work during those three days, a pattern he described as unusual for both of them. He also tracked Brittany's location using the Life360 app on his phone. The last known location was Lake Quitman. He drove to that area around noon on Wednesday but did not find her.

At 2:30 p.m., the brother-in-law attempted to contact the couple again. Weldon Powell answered the phone and claimed he was running errands while his wife stayed home. The brother-in-law drove past the store where he thought Weldon was but saw neither the man nor his truck. He then proceeded to the couple's home in Quitman.

Upon arriving at the house, the brother-in-law found Weldon Powell absent. He knocked and called out for Brittany but received no answer. He called Weldon again and was told his wife was still at the house. The brother-in-law stated he was about to call the police due to his concern. Weldon Powell reportedly acted indifferent to the plan. He did not answer any subsequent calls from his brother-in-law.

Around 6 p.m., Wood County dispatchers pinged the phones of both Powells. Brittany Powell's phone signal appeared at Lake Quitman. Approximately 45 minutes later, the couple's landlord contacted dispatch. He had stopped by the residence to check on their pets, which had been left alone. While inside to look after the animals, he discovered Brittany Powell's body in the bathroom.

The landlord called 911 and stated that Weldon Powell pulled up to the home shortly after. The landlord said Weldon Powell sped away at high speed when he saw the property owner. He told deputies that Weldon Powell headed toward the front gate of Holiday Villages. Law enforcement officers located the suspect at the gate and took him into custody.

The affidavit states that Brittany Powell was shot in the temple. Deputies observed blood marks on the floor leading into the bathroom. These marks indicated she was dragged from an outside back door into the room. The document alleges Weldon Powell placed his wife in the bathroom, surrounded her with ice, and left her there for several days.

Weldon Powell is currently held in the Wood County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond.