Cedar Park police investigating missing woman case as homicide
CEDAR PARK, Texas - Amanda Gordon, a missing mother in Cedar Park, is now presumed dead. Police are investigating her case as a homicide.
According to an arrest affidavit filed in Williamson County Court Tuesday for Gordon’s common-law husband Samuel Byrd, Gordon’s mother contacted the police Thursday. She told them one of Byrd’s sisters had contacted her, and told her she had been unable to get in touch with Gordon for several days.
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Police attempted to contact Gordon unsuccessfully, then conducted an emergency cellphone ping. They found that Gordon's phone had not been used since Tuesday and was last used within 500 meters of the home.
Samuel Roy Byrd
Police conducted a welfare check that Thursday evening. Byrd did not allow police inside the home. He told them he had not seen Byrd in three days. He said Gordons car was gone, but she did not have it and he was “unsure” who was. Police say Byrd appeared to be on drugs.
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Worried for Gordon and the couple's two young children inside the home, they used the Central Texas Regional SWAT team to gain entry. Byrd's brother Josiah, was in the home at the time SWAT entered. He told police Byrd used meth while police were outside the home “waiting to gain entry.” Police say Byrd was also in possession of Oxycontin.
Once inside the home, law enforcement was able to detect a large amount of blood had been in the home's shed, deck and steps. Blood was also detected in the bedroom and bathroom.
Byrd's brother told police he was doing drugs with Gordon earlier in the week when he passed out. When he woke up, he found Gordon dead on the floor. He said he did not know where her body was, but he did say that he and Byrd had been doing a “large amount” of cleaning in the days prior to the welfare check. He said Byrd had a girlfriend, who was the only other adult with access to the home. He told police she was in possession of Gordon's car.
Police spoke with Byrd’s girlfriend. She told them she had purchased four bags of cleaning supplies for Byrd, including bleach and ammonia. She said she also hid a bag at his request. She took police to the bag. Inside, they found Gordon's cellphone, glasses, a shotgun and shell casing.
Gordons mother told police Byrd had been abusive. In 2017 Gordon filed a protective order, but it was dismissed. Cedar Park police say they responded to disturbances at the home. In 2007 Byrd was convicted of assaulting a family member.
According to Gordon's mother, Gordon and Byrd had only been together for eight or nine years.
Byrd is facing two misdemeanor drug charges, one felony drug charge and a felony tampering with evidence charge.
The search for Gordon's body continues.