HARRIS COUNTY – There are new details in a murder case involving a missing pregnant woman after her estranged appeared in court overnight.
Matthew Sowders, 28, is now facing capital murder charges. Court documents state he strangled his wife, Melissa Sowders.
"You are here on a charge of capital murder of two people and I'm told an unborn child," a judge told him during a court appearance Friday morning.
On Thursday morning, a Texas EquuSearch team recovered a body in Cypress Creek near the area where they were searching for Melissa Sowders.
We're still waiting on official word as to whether the body is that of Melissa Sowders, who has been missing for a week. But court documents allege Matthew killed her and her unborn child.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office says the body was found near the residence of Sowders, 26, who was last seen on December 26 after she was supposed to meet her estranged husband, Matthew Sowders.
Matthew Sowders was taken into custody Thursday afternoon at his family home in the Humble area just as he was walking out the door with his father.
Local 2 spoke to his father soon after Sowders' arrest. He says he had no idea authorities were headed to his house.
"We were going to the bond place to report because we had heard that a warrant was issued. We were trying to cooperate," said Dave Sowders.
Our cameras later caught Matthew Sowders being walked into the jail for booking Thursday evening. We asked him if he had anything to say, but he stayed quiet.
Overnight, Sowders appeared in magistrate court and was given no bond.
EquuSearch crews had spent the last several days searching in far north Harris County near the intersection of the North Freeway and Parramatta Lane. The body was found in the area around 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
Melissa Sowders' family members told us when the mother of four disappeared she was trying to start a new life; extracting herself from a troubled marriage and preparing for the birth of her fifth child. Now they say they just want justice.
"I don't know why somebody could be so evil and do this to her. She never done nothing wrong to nobody or anything like that," said her sister, Amber Newsom.
Sheriff's detectives still don't know how Sowders died. Family members say specific tattoos let them know the body found by Texas EquuSearch volunteers in Cypress Creek is her.
"Somebody took my sunshine away and nothing can ever bring her back, but I love her very, very much," said her mother, Sonia Newsom.
Sowders' parents say she was in the process of ending a tumultuous nine-year marriage. A new man came into her life and she was happy.
"I haven't seen her happy in a long time and she was real happy when she was with Jason," said her father, Jimmy Newsom.
Jason is Jason Sanford, Sowders' current boyfriend and father of her unborn child. He says Thursday's discovery brings him no peace.
"Doesn't make it any better, doesn't make it any better at all. I don't even know what to say," Sanford said.
He says he last spoke with Sowders the day after Christmas when she was supposed to meet with her estranged husband and youngest daughter at a McDonald's. The couple was working out details of their divorce and custody of their four daughters.
"At this point he is in shock," said Matthew Sowders' attorney Dustan Neyland. "Obviously he is still saddened by the death of Melissa and upset that he's been accused of it."
Deputies say Melissa Sowders' vehicle was recovered a few days ago in a parking lot in the area.
Family members say no matter what detectives uncover about Sowders' death, at least Thursday's discovery ends the sleepless nights marked of wondering where she was.
"It's just been terrible not knowing where she was or if she was OK," said Amber Newsom.
"A tremendous amount of relief, now we can bury her," said cousin Michelle Bierman.
Matthew Sowders has never spoken publicly about the disappearance, only through his attorney.
"At this point, he is in shock. Obviously, he is still saddened by the death of Melissa and upset that he's been accused of it," said his attorney Dustan Neyland.
According to deputies, court records show Matthew Sowders was sentenced to four days in jail for driving while his license was suspended in 2005, and fined for trespassing in 2004.
