UPDATE: BREAKING NEWS - by Bruce Gietzen
Bruceville-Eddy police arrested the ex-boyfriend of a woman found murdered Monday.
Authorities had questioned 61-year old Jerry William Borchardt about Carol Wagner's death, but did not arrest him.
That changed Friday night. Police recovered the woman's missing dog, a Pomeranian, and then arrested Borchardt for her murder. He was taken to the McLennan County jail just before 10 p.m.
Police may release more details Saturday.
By Noel Brennan and Brandon Hartman
BRUCEVILLE-EDDY - Police and Texas Rangers are investigating a murder after a man made a gruesome discovery at his mother's home earlier this week.
Just before 6 p.m. Monday, the man found his mother, Carol Jean Wagner, 60, wrapped in blankets inside the bedroom of her mobile home off Pinto Drive.
Bruceville-Eddy Police Cpl. David Buchanan said Wagner's body was badly decomposed, and might have been inside the home for a number of days.
Police spent much of Tuesday afternoon questioning Wagner's estranged boyfriend, Jerry William Borchardt. They believe he might be the last person to have seen Wagner alive.
Gene Hebbe lives next door to Wagner on Pinto Drive and has known her for more than 15 years. He suspected something was wrong when he dialed her cell phone on Saturday and Borchardt picked up.
"He answered it, and he told me that Carol was in the hospital," explained Hebbe. "I got to thinking, that's not right."
Hebbe said Wagner had medical problems, but he thought it was strange that her ex-boyfriend had her cell phone and was driving her car.
Bruceville-Eddy Police Cpl. Buchanan said Borchardt arrived at the police station sometime Tuesday afternoon. They questioned him for several hours before finally releasing him just before 10 p.m. Buchanan said he was not formally charged with any crime, but that he is still "a person of interest."
Those who barely knew Carol Wagner told News Channel 25, they'll remember her as a sweet lady who always waved and said "hello."
"She kind of had that warm smile," Demetria Perry described." Perry only spoke to Wagner a few times during visits to her boyfriend's home just across the street.
[She] seemed like someone's little old grandma, you know?" said Perry. "She just seemed like a nice lady- like she had that warmth to her."
Bruceville-Eddy Police and Texas Rangers are still investigating Wagner's death. They're anxiously awaiting autopsy results from Dallas.
Police are also looking for Wagner's dog that Borchardt supposedly gave away to someone between July 27 and July 30, or possibly later.
The dog's name is Patches and she is a seven to eight year old Pomeranian. If you have any information on the dog's whereabouts please call police.
Carol Jean Wagner
Patches
