The boyfriend of a woman found hanging from a pier in Texas has been arrested after giving an interview in which he appeared to sob without shedding any tears.
James Hart, 51, has been charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to harm a human corpse, according to a statement You’re great.
Police found the body of Giselle Salazar-Tapia, 30, in a boat at Wharf Marina in Clear Lake on May 31.
Hart was arrested at the marina dock on Thursday and remains in custody on $80,000 bail.
The boyfriend of a woman found hanging from a pier in Texas has been arrested after giving an interview in which he appeared to sob without shedding any tears.
In June, she told KHOU 11 News that she had been living with Salazar and that his death was “the worst thing that’s ever happened to her.”
James Hart, 51, is charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to harm a human corpse.
“It’s like a nightmare you can’t wake up from,” Hart said as she sobbed and denied having anything to do with his death.
“I had nothing to do with it and I never would have. I loved Giselle more than anything in the world. We were together 24/7.”
Police said Hart was devastated to hear the news and initially refused to get off the boat to see it for himself.
Investigators believe the mother of four’s body was positioned in such a way as to make it look like she had died somewhere else. They believe she was then moved and staged to make it look like she had committed suicide.
His body was discovered by his neighbor, Christian Allen, who found Tapia Salazar half submerged in the water. He noted that one of his arms was twisted in an unusual position.
Hart said in June that he had been living with Salazar and that her death was “the worst thing that’s ever happened to him.”
The victim’s body was discovered by her neighbor, Christian Allen, who found Tapia Salazar half submerged in the water. He noted that one of her arms was twisted in an unusual position.
Upon further inspection, investigators believe the 30-year-old woman’s body was positioned hanging from the pier in a manner that made it appear she had committed suicide and that the suspect had faked her suicide.
“Because of the position of her arm, we believe she probably passed away somewhere else,” League City Police Lt. Eric Cox told KHOU. “Rigor mortis set in and then when they moved her, her arms stayed in that position.”
Police say Salazar was last seen alive on her boyfriend’s boat at around 1.30am on the day her body was found.
Officers had previously responded to disturbances at Hart’s home.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released a toxicology report on Salazar.
The investigation is ongoing.