POTH, Texas – A man is facing a capital murder charge after he allegedly fatally shot his wife and their friend at his home in Poth Sunday morning, police said.
Police were called to a home in the 400 block of Carrol Street around 12:30 a.m. for a disturbance and found the two people shot to death.
Authorities identified the victims as Andrew Toscano and Justine Waclawczyk. Poth Police Chief Gerald Sanchez said that Toscano was friends with the couple.
Police detained Justine's husband, 21-year-old John Waclawczyk, for questioning in connection with the double homicide and later charged him with capital murder - multiple persons. He is being held at the Wilson County Jail on a $1 million bond, jail officials confirmed.
Neighbors said that there had been "trouble" at the couple's home before.
“These babies needed help," said one neighbor, Christi Landa. “They needed help, and they didn’t get the help they needed, and it just got real ugly.”
Landa lives across the street from the couple and said that her mother was the one who heard gunshots and screams and called police.
Landa said the couple had moved in about a year ago.
Sanchez said it’s not the first time police have gotten calls to the home.
“We’ve been to this house a few times, yes,” Sanchez said. “But nothing for domestic violence or anything but we’ve gotten minor calls to this residence before.”
According to Sanchez, the Texas Rangers, Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF is assisting the Poth Police Department in the investigation.