A woman’s husband and son have been charged in Sequatchie County with her slaying after charred human remains were found during a police search in the Lewis Chapel community.
The remains are believed to be those of Silvia Vilchez, 50, of Snyder Loop, Graysville, Tennessee. Vilchez started out as the subject of a missing person investigation, Sheriff Bill Phillips said in a statement. The slaying is believed to have occurred on Monday.
Deputies were contacted Tuesday “regarding a potential missing person, Ms. Vilchez, which quickly grew into a case of suspicious circumstances,” Phillips said. “After multiple interviews and other investigative steps, investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for the reported victim’s home, where she lived with her husband and adult son, as well as the property where the home is located.”
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A search of the property Thursday led to the discovery of what authorities believe is the crime scene, “where the victim was beat to death,” Phillips said. “Investigators then discovered an area near the home where recently charred human remains were found.”
The remains were sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Nashville for a forensic examination, authorities said.
Based on evidence and information gathered throughout the investigation, both the victim’s husband and her son were charged with her murder as well as abuse of her corpse, Phillips said. The woman, her husband and son lived at the address where the victim’s body was found.
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David W. Gardiner, 64, and Gabriel M. Vilchez, 18, are both charged with criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse, according to authorities.
Sheriff’s investigators were assisted in the investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and agents with Tennessee Homeland Security.
A bond has not been set for either man, according to jail officials, and both face a court appearance Nov. 17.
Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.