Texas man jailed after wife’s body found in bathroom days after missing

Weldon Powell is being held in the Wood County Jail on a one million dollar bond following the discovery of his wife's body in their home in Quitman, Texas. Deputies charged him with the murder of Brittany Powell on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

The investigation began when Brittany Powell's brother-in-law called Wood County dispatch to report a welfare concern. He and his wife, who is Brittany's sister, had not heard from their relative in three days. He described the silence as unusual for both members of the household, who had also failed to show up for work.

The sister had last spoken to Brittany three days prior to the call. During that conversation, Brittany mentioned a physical altercation with her husband. When her sister asked if she was safe, Brittany replied by text message that she was not good. She promised to call as soon as she could, but did not follow up.

The brother-in-law checked the Life360 app on his phone and saw that Brittany's last recorded location was Lake Quitman. He drove to the lake around noon on Wednesday to look for her but could not find her. Later at 2:30 p.m., he tried to contact the couple again. Weldon Powell answered the phone and said he was running errands while his wife stayed home. The brother-in-law drove past a local store but did not see Weldon Powell or his truck.

He then went to the couple's residence. Weldon Powell was not there. He knocked on the door and called out to Brittany Powell, but no one answered. He called Weldon Powell again, who repeated that his wife was inside. The brother-in-law told him he was preparing to call the police. Weldon Powell appeared indifferent to the news and did not answer any further calls.

Around 6 p.m., dispatchers pinged the phones of the couple. Brittany Powell's phone registered at Lake Quitman. Approximately 45 minutes later, the landlord of the property called dispatch. He had stopped by the house and was worried about the pets being left alone. He went inside to check on the animals and found Brittany Powell's body in the bathroom.

The landlord called 911 and stated that Weldon Powell pulled up to the home shortly after. He saw the landlord and sped off at high speed. The landlord told arriving deputies that he watched Weldon Powell head toward the front gate of Holiday Villages. Officers located him there and took him into custody.

The probable cause affidavit states that Brittany Powell was shot in the temple. Deputies observed blood marks on the floor leading into the bathroom. These marks indicated she was dragged from an outside back door, suggesting she was shot elsewhere before being moved into the house. The affidavit alleges Weldon Powell placed her in the bathroom, surrounded her with ice, and left her there for several days.