K.C. Man Charged With Murder After Daughter Tells School Counselor She Found Mom's Body in Basement
A
Missouri man has been charged with murder in his wife’s death after
their 7-year-old daughter told a school counselor she saw her mother’s
body in their home’s basement, PEOPLE confirms.
Benjamin
Byers, 45, of Kansas City, has been accused of fatally stabbing his
wife, Melissa Byers, 47, before wrapping her body in sheets and hiding
it in the basement of their family’s home, according to a probable cause
statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Police
were notified of the alleged murder Wednesday, when Byers’ daughter
told a school counselor she saw her mother’s body downstairs the night
before, the document states.
Police
forced their way into Byers’ home, where Byers met them in the living
room. Upon questioning, Byers told authorities he didn’t know where his
wife was and that he hadn’t seen her since Monday, when she went to
work.
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Following
a trail of blood drops throughout the house, police made their way to
the basement, where they found a tarp with blood around it. Blood —
believed to be drag marks — led investigators to a body wrapped in
clothing, carpeting, plastic and sheets.
A large portion of carpet from the home’s dining room appeared to have been removed, the documents allege.
Byers
has been charged with second degree murder, armed criminal action,
abandonment of a corpse and endangering the welfare of a child, a Kansas
City police spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
During
their investigation, police noted the home appeared to have been
recently cleaned, according to the documents. It is unclear whether
Byers has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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The
girl told police she had not seen her mother since Monday and that her
father was “acting weird” when he picked her up from school Tuesday. She
said he also appeared to be drinking. Later that night, she said, Byers
allegedly asked her to get him a beer before falling asleep.
The
child said she saw “lots of blood” in the home and followed it down to
the basement, where she saw the body. It appeared to be stabbed in the
back, the girl recalled.
Police
have not revealed a motive for the alleged murder. The girl said she
didn’t tell her father what she saw in the basement because she “didn’t
want to be next.”
It
is unclear when Byers is schedule to appear in court. Jackson County
prosecutors have requested a $500,000 bond, a Jackson County Prosecuting
Office spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
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