A Texas man accused of murdering his fiancé allegedly Googled “Can I kill an illegal human?” before his death.
Ty Dalton Vaughn was arrested after police found the body of Luis Banos Norberto at their Baytown apartment in January. Vaughn is further accused of staging the alleged killing to make it look like a suicide.
According to an affidavit seen by ABC13, police believe Vaughn, 31, shot his 27 year-old partner then moved the body. Police revealed Norberto was discovered lying on a bed with a rifle propped up against one of his arms, alongside a torn picture of himself and Vaughn nearby.
Vaughan told police that he and Norberto had been arguing before he came home at around 530am on 14 January to find him dead, cops say.
Surveillance footage suggested that Vaughan had actually returned home just after 4am, an arrest affidavit says, earlier than he had told police.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots around that time. Police said at 430am, Vaughan texted the victim: “Babe? Babe why are you not texting back?!?!"
Vaughan then called 911 at 530am, investigators saying, allegedly telling dispatchers: "My spouse is dead. Help. My life is over”.
Court documents said the suspect had allegedly searched online "whether or not it was illegal for him to kill an illegal immigrant" hours before his partner’s death. Police added that the suspect repeatedly highlighted his fiance’s immigration status unprompted during interview.
A Harris County criminal complaint stated: “In Harris County, Texas, Ty Vaughn, hereinafter styled the Defendant, heretofore on or about January 14, 2025, did then and there unlawfully intend to cause serious bodily injury to Luis David Banos, hereinafter called the Complainant, and did cause the death of the Complainant by committing an act clearly dangerous to human life, namely by shooting the Complainant with a deadly weapon, namely, a Firearm.”
Vaughn was booked Saturday and will appear in court Monday to face the charge of first degree felony murder, according to Harris County court records.
