The chilling Google searches a man made before he was arrested on suspicion of murdering his fiancé have been revealed.
Ty Vaughn, 31, from Texas, is accused of shooting Luis Banos Norberto, 27, in the face in their apartment in Baytown, just outside of Houston, on January 14, per an arrest affidavit obtained by ABC 13.
According to police, Vaughn allegedly staged the crime scene to look like Norberto had taken his own life and remained free for almost two months afterward, having allegedly staged concerned text messages to his fiancé.
According to the affidavit, Vaughn had told police that he and Norberto had been arguing the night before, and he had left their apartment, returning at 5.30AM to find his fiancé dead in the bedroom.
Norberto’s body was lying on a bed with a bullet wound in one of his eyes and a rifle propped up against one of his arms, with a torn photo of the couple found nearby.
Vaughn called 911 and told dispatchers: “My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over.”
However, police believe the shooting happened 90 minuted before the call – and that Vaughn was at home at the time.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Vaughn walking up the stairs to his apartment at 4.05AM, and two neighbors reported hearing a gunshot shortly afterward.
Around 20 minutes later, at 4.27AM, Vaughn had texted Norberto – who police say was already dead: “Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!”
His call to 911 came over an hour later, at 5.38AM.
When interviewed, the affidavit states that Vaughn mentioned Norberto’s reported status as an undocumented migrant without being asked.
Reports have also stated that when police searched his phone, they found that Vaughn had allegedly Googled “Can I kill an illegal human?” before the horrific crime took place.
Before his arrest, Vaughn had remained free for almost two months after Norberto’s death, and even gave interviews to the media.
When asked by Eyewitness News on February 4 if he’d spoken to Norberto on the day of the murder, he responded: “I don’t know. The police know all the details. I’ve been kind of not great. I haven’t really been going to police looking for answers.”
When an ABC13 reporter offered condolences, he responded: “I mean, it is what it is.”
According to an online obituary, Norberto was born in Guerrero, Mexico, but much of his family – including his brothers, parents, grandparents, and nieces and nephews now live in Baytown.
Vaughn is currently being held at the Harris County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
