Body found in Lake Travis-area home; man arrested, charged with murder

LAKE TRAVIS, Texas - An Austin man has been charged with murder after a body was found in a Lake Travis-area home during a welfare check, says the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

At 2:19 p.m. on Nov. 22, TCSO 911 received a request for a welfare check for a wheelchair-bound man in his 80s from a family member who had not heard from him for an extended period of time. The caller told 911 that the man required assisted care and had been living with a caretaker who ceased contact with the family.

When deputies arrived and entered the home in the 16300 block of E. Lake Shore Drive, they found a man's body in "advanced stages of decomposition".

37-year-old Chad Wayne Christopher was found at the scene and detained. He was later booked into the Travis County Jail for first-degree murder. TCSO confirmed to FOX 7 Austin that Christopher is believed to be the caretaker.

Chad Wayne Christopher (TCSO)

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TCSO says the identity of the victim will be released pending identification by the Travis County Medical Examiner and notification of next of kin.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the TCSO Tip Line at 512-854-1444.