LIVE OAK, Texas – A man whose body was found dumped behind vacant apartments in Live Oak last month was tied up, tortured and injected with bleach, a murder warrant obtained Thursday by KSAT Investigates shows.
Authorities have charged Justin Hunt, 32, in connection with the death of Matthew Pacheco-McKinney, whose body was found by Live Oak police in the 10800 block of O’Connor Road on Dec. 7.
Hunt’s arrest Wednesday afternoon came after a weeks-long investigation by multiple agencies, including Live Oak police, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Rangers and the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The body of Pacheco-McKinney, 31, was found covered in a blanket and curtain material, with a rope wrapped around his midsection, the warrant states. His right foot was wrapped in a black trash bag.
Blood evidence recovered in November by San Antonio police from a recovered stolen vehicle matched evidence found at the scene where Pacheco-McKinney’s body was found, including black trash bags and latex gloves, the warrant states.
An informant told investigators last week that Pacheco-McKinney was killed during a dispute inside a home in the 7200 block of Montgomery Drive in mid-November.
The residence is listed as Hunt’s last known address.
The informant said Hunt shot Pacheco-McKinney after the victim got in a physical fight inside the home with two other men, including David Castleberry.
Hunt stepped in and shot Pacheco-McKinney, who was then tied up, tortured and injected with bleach before dying, the warrant states.
His body was then “placed inside a trash can and dumped at an unknown location” by Castleberry after being ordered to by Hunt, the warrant states.
Castleberry was one of two people charged with murder in Atascosa County earlier this month, after a man’s body was dumped on the side of a road after being shot.
Questioned about Pacheco-McKinney’s murder, Castleberry led investigators to the scene where Pacheco-McKinney’s body had been found weeks earlier.
The precise location of where the body was found had not been disclosed to Castleberry or any outside sources, the warrant states.
Castleberry told investigators a woman, Noel Desselle, helped him move the body in a stolen vehicle before dumping it in a brushy area, the warrant states.
Castleberry’s co-defendant in the Atascosa County murder told investigators Castleberry and Hunt had previously killed a woman and buried her in the backyard of Hunt’s home, in exchange for $20,000.
Hunt was being held without bond at the Bexar County Jail Thursday on charges of murder, felon in possession of a firearm as well as a parole violation out of Austin.
Desselle, 30, was charged with felony abuse of corpse Thursday after turning herself into SAPD, Live Oak police officials said in a press release.
Other people connected to Pacheco-McKinney’s death could still be charged.
Live Oak police officials confirmed Hunt’s home was being searched for possible additional evidence on Thursday.