Woman allegedly killed by husband texted sister she was ‘not good’ days before her body was found

QUITMAN, Texas (KLTV/Gray News) - A Texas man charged in his wife’s murder allegedly shot her in the head and left her in the bathroom for several days, according to newly released arrest documents.

Deputies with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office arrested Weldon Powell on Wednesday for the murder of his wife, Brittany Powell.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Brittany Powell’s brother-in-law called Wood County dispatch on Wednesday with a welfare concern. He and his wife, Brittany Powell’s sister, had not heard from her in three days, which he said was unusual.

A deputy met with the brother-in-law at the Powells’ home in Quitman. The brother-in-law said the last contact he and his wife had with Brittany Powell was three days prior when she told them about a physical altercation between herself and her husband. Her sister asked her if she was safe, and she texted back that she “was not good.” She told them she would call them as soon as she could.

Now, days later, the couple were concerned Brittany Powell was in danger. Her brother-in-law told the deputy that neither she nor her husband had shown up for work in three days, which was unusual for both of them.

According to the affidavit, he also told the deputy that he had Brittany Powell on his Life360 app on his phone, and the last time he saw her location was three days ago. The location at that time was Lake Quitman, so he went there Wednesday around noon to try to find her but was unsuccessful.

The brother-in-law told the deputy he tried again at 2:30 p.m. to contact the Powells. He said Weldon Powell answered his phone that time and told him he was out running errands while his wife was at home, according to the affidavit. The brother-in-law drove by the store but did not see Weldon Powell or his truck, so he went to the couple’s home.

When the brother-in-law got to the home, he says Weldon Powell was not there. He knocked on the door and called out to Brittany Powell but got no response. He then called Weldon Powell again and was told again that his wife was at the house.

The brother-in-law told Weldon Powell that he was about to call the police out of concern for Brittany Powell, and he said that Weldon Powell acted as if he did not care either way. However, he never answered any further calls from the brother-in-law after that.

Wood County dispatchers pinged the Powells’ phones around 6 p.m., and Brittany Powell’s phone pinged at Lake Quitman.

About 45 minutes later, the couple’s landlord called dispatch and said he had stopped by the house. He became concerned about the pets being left alone and went inside to check on them. It was then that he found Brittany Powell’s body in the bathroom, the affidavit said.

The landlord called 911 then said Weldon Powell pulled up to the home but sped off at high speed when he saw the landlord was there. He told deputies when they arrived that he saw Weldon Powell head toward the front gate of Holiday Villages, and they found him there and took him into custody.

The affidavit said that Brittany Powell had been shot in the temple. Deputies said they observed marks of blood on the floor leading into the bathroom where she was found that indicated she had been dragged there from an outside back door, as if she had been shot elsewhere and then brought into the house.

The affidavit alleges Weldon Powell then placed his wife in the bathroom, surrounded with ice, and left her there for several days.

The suspect is being held in the Wood County Jail on $1,000,000 bond.