CEDAR PARK, Texas - Forensics teams found evidence of a "large presence of blood" inside a shed at the home of missing Cedar Park woman Amanda Gordon.
Gordon's common-law husband Samuel Roy Byrd has been charged with second-degree felony tampering with physical evidence.
Samuel Roy Byrd
According to an affidavit, the search for Gordon began when Gordon's mother contacted Cedar Park police Thursday, Dec. 12 saying she had not spoken to her daughter in three days and that that was unusual for Gordon.
The mother told police Gordon and Byrd had been in a romantic relationship for eight to nine years and had two children together. She said that Gordon had told her Byrd had been physically, verbally and emotionally abusive to her throughout the relationship, according to the affidavit.
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A Cedar Park officer attempted to call Gordon after speaking with the mother but was unable to reach her. The affidavit says an emergency cell phone ping showed that Gordon had not used her phone since Tuesday, Dec. 10 and the last known location was within 500 meters of the home she shared with Byrd.
Cedar Park officers attempted a welfare check on the home, but Byrd reportedly refused to let them inside, only speaking to officers through a window. Byrd told officers Gordon was not home and that he had not seen or spoken to her in three days, says the affidavit. He also said her car was not there, but that she didn't have it and he didn't know who did.
Finding Byrd's behavior "concerning" and believing him to be "under the influence of a CNS stimulant," officers forced entry into the home, says the affidavit, and found Byrd and Gordon's two children inside along with Byrd's brother. They did not find Gordon.
Byrd's brother told officers that Byrd had told him he and Gordon has been using drugs when he passed out, says the affidavit. Byrd reportedly told his brother that when he came to, Gordon was on the floor dead.
His brother told officers that he and Byrd had been doing a lot of cleaning over the past few days and that Byrd was in a relationship with a woman who had Gordon's car, says the affidavit. The brother told officers he didn't know what happened to Gordon's body.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the home. Trained cadaver dogs were used in the search, alerting around a large shed in the backyard which appeared to have a fresh varnish applied unevenly to the flooring, according to the affidavit.
Forensics found a large presence of blood in the shed, tests showing positive for blood on the floor, walls, items, entryway, and deck and steps leading to the shed. Forensics also found blood in the bedroom and bathroom inside the home, says the affidavit.
Cedar Park police found the woman who had Gordon's car who told them Byrd had told her to get cleaning supplies, including bleach and ammonia, on Wednesday, Dec. 11. She also told officers Byrd had her hide a bag he placed in the car. She took officers to where she hid the bag, which the affidavit says contained a handgun, a spent shell casing, and Gordon's eyeglasses and cell phone.
Officers also spoke with a neighbor who told them Byrd is not known to put trash out for collection, but on Thursday, Dec. 12, Byrd put two full trash cans and six loose bags of trash on the street for collection, says the affidavit.