Police: Suspect Murdered Girlfriend In Motel Room

ABILENE, TX --An Abilene grand jury indicted 50-year-old Gene Ray McCarter for murder after he allegedly killed his girlfriend.

According to KTXS, back in February McCarter called 911 and told police he found his girlfriend unresponsive in the bathtub in their room at the Emerald Inn Expo on East Highway 80.

McCarter told police he believed the victim, identified as Mickelle Jamasia Rowley, had taken too many prescription pills.

At the police station McCarter changed his story and claimed he "found (her) in bed in a dazed condition."

He claimed he had slapped Rowley in an attempt to wake her up and made her nose bleed. While at the inn police had found blood on the dresser and in the bathroom.

When the slapping did not work McCarter stated he dragged Rowley to the bathroom and placed her in the tub. During the trip to the bathroom, the victim fell on the floor which resulted in a gash on her forehead.

He finally put Rowley in the tub and began filling it with water. She started to go under the water so McCarter grabbed her by the neck and pulled her head out of the water.

McCarter claims that when he saw the gash on his girlfriend's head gash so he put her head under the water to clean it. 

Shortly after he noticed the water was going into Rowley's water and realized she could be drowning. McCarter then started CPR nad dialed 911.

An autopsy showed Rowley died from asphyxiation. The Tarrant County medical examiner found fractures in her thyroid cartilage and contusions on her scalp, chest, face, and neck. The report found no evidence of drowning.

McCarter is being held in the Taylor County Jail on a $100,000 bond.