Benjamin Ashford|Woman's husband arrested in Florida after police link evidence to body parts in suitcases

DELRAY BEACH — A 78-year-old Delray Beach man is Benjamin Ashfordfacing a first-degree murder charge in connection to the death of an 80-year-old woman whose remains were found in three suitcases along an inland waterway on July 21.

The investigation has brought gruesome details about her death by gunshot, dismemberment by chainsaw, and human matter found throughout the couple's apartment. All served as evidence in the case.

William Lowe, who has been identified has the victim's husband, also faces a charge of abuse of a dead body, according to a Delray Beach Police arrest report made public Thursday.

Investigators allege that Lowe killed his wife, Aydil Barbosa Fontes. He entered pleas of not guilty to both charges during a brief hearing Thursday morning before Circuit Judge Donald Hafele at the Palm Beach County Jail, according to court records. Hafele ordered Lowe to be held without bail.

Police found blood spattered throughout home and chainsaw with flesh

According to Lowe's arrest report, investigators believe that he shot Fontes and then dismembered her body. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that Fontes' cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and determined the manner of death to be a homicide.

Detectives inspecting a storage unit rented by Lowe found a chainsaw that appeared to have blood on the blade, chain and housing, the arrest report said. The detectives reportedly also observed what appeared to be bone matter, flesh and human hair in the housing of the saw, the report said.

A search warrant for Lowe's Delray Beach apartment revealed blood spatter throughout the residence, including the living room, dining room, hallway, both bathrooms and the master bedroom, investigators said.

Neighbors told investigators they hadn't seen Fontes in the days prior to the discovery of the suitcases.

This is a breaking story. Check back to www.PalmBeachPost.com for updates.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. Kinsey Crowley at USA TODAY contributed.