DENTON, TX – Authorities have arrested a man who allegedly confessed to killing his fiancée and living with her decomposing body for days before fleeing. William Oddo III, 52, reportedly admitted to shooting LaVera Wardell in the head during an altercation early last month, claiming self-defense.
Oddo allegedly told Denton police officers that he did not immediately report the incident to authorities as he wanted to spend time with Wardell’s body. According to police reports, he remained with the corpse for about three days before escaping the apartment due to the overwhelming smell.
The grim discovery was made on May 19 after concerned neighbors noted a foul odor emanating from the residence. Responding to a welfare check request, police found Wardell’s body inside. Witnesses reported last seeing Wardell alive on May 6 when she was engaged in conversation with Oddo.
Upon entering the apartment, investigators found signs of an extensive cleanup effort. Cleaning products and other items suggested an attempt had been made to remove evidence of the crime and mask the odor, police said.
Oddo had been staying with Wardell at the Par Drive apartment where the incident took place. A statement from the Denton Police Department detailed his efforts to purchase and utilize cleaning supplies to alter the scene, a charge which has since been leveled against him.
After remaining at the apartment with Wardell’s body, Oddo reportedly vacated the premises on May 14. Law enforcement tracked him down to a motel in Mount Pleasant, where he was arrested on June 2. Initially detained on charges of tampering with evidence, Oddo now faces a murder charge.
Local residents expressed shock and dismay over the incident, with one neighbor describing it as “heartbreaking.” The apartment was notably located above an office and near a gym, accentuating the community’s disbelief that such a crime had gone unreported for as long as it did.
Oddo currently remains in custody at the Denton County Jail with bond set at $160,000, pending legal proceedings.