Texas Husband Accused of Killing Teacher Wife Complained About ‘Too Many Cops’ While Asking Strangers for a Shirt During Getaway
ALVARADO, TEXAS — A 26-year-old North Texas man accused of killing his wife, a beloved high school teacher, was captured after a bizarre multiday manhunt that ended when he wandered shirtless into a truck stop — complaining there were “too many cops” nearby, according to authorities.
Brandon Ashley is charged with murder and interference with official duty in the death of 33-year-old Chelsea Spillers, a biology and chemistry teacher at Alvarado High School. Police say she was beaten to death inside the couple’s home over the weekend.
From Domestic Violence Arrest to Murder Scene
According to the Alvarado Police Department, officers were first called to the couple’s home on Magnolia Street last Thursday after a neighbor reported a domestic dispute.
When police arrived, Ashley allegedly pointed a gun at his own head before surrendering and being arrested for a lesser interference charge. His wife later posted bail to release him from jail.
Two days later, on Saturday around 5:30 p.m., officers returned for a welfare check and discovered Spillers’ body inside the home. She had suffered severe injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
At first, police called the death “suspicious,” but quickly issued a murder warrant for Ashley’s arrest after gathering more evidence.
‘Too Many Cops’: The Fugitive’s Strange Escape
By Sunday night, Ashley had fled Alvarado and was spotted more than 150 miles away in Bedias, Texas, where residents began reporting a shirtless man wandering around rural properties.
The Grimes County Sheriff’s Office said 911 callers described the man as acting erratic, knocking on doors and asking strangers for a shirt, while saying he was avoiding a nearby highway because there were “too many cops.”
Deputies searched the area overnight but couldn’t locate him. The next morning, a suspicious black Cadillac Escalade was found abandoned in a nearby pasture — believed to be the vehicle Ashley had been driving.
Moments later, residents reported seeing the fugitive again — this time at Smiley’s Truck Stop and Liquor Store, where law enforcement surrounded the area and arrested him at 10:12 a.m. Monday.
“Deputies were informed that the suspect claimed to have hidden a firearm nearby,” the sheriff’s office said. “Minutes later, officers recovered a loaded Astra .357 revolver.”
Ashley was booked into the Grimes County Jail before being transferred to Johnson County, where he faces murder charges.
A Community Mourns a Beloved Teacher
The Alvarado Independent School District released a heartfelt statement mourning Spillers, describing her as “a dedicated educator who loved her students and team.”
“We were saddened to hear of the tragic passing of a beloved Alvarado High School educator, Chelsea Spillers,” the district said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and our entire Alvarado ISD community.”
Students honored Spillers by wearing purple ribbons on Monday.
“She was the light of my day,” one student told NBC DFW. “She cared about us more than herself.”
Ashley remains in custody without bond, awaiting extradition to Johnson County for his arraignment.
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