FOWLER, Ind. — An Indiana man is accused of dismembering his girlfriend with a chain saw and placing her remains in trash bags following her overdose after the pair smoked methamphetamine, authorities said.
Edward A. Bagwell, 60, of Ambia, was charged with abuse of a corpse and failure to report human remains, according to Benton County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed with Benton County prosecutors by the Indiana State Police, Bagwell cut off the legs of his girlfriend, identified as 61-year-old Rita Spigner, with the saw, the Journal & Courier of Lafayette reported.
An Indiana man is accused of dismembering his girlfriend's corpse https://t.co/9NRVZuGSNz
— Journal & Courier (@jconline) July 12, 2022
State police said Bagwell placed Spigner’s torso in one trash bag and her legs in another, the newspaper reported.
According to the affidavit, Bagwell claimed he and Spigner were smoking meth on June 18 when he slapped her for scratching him, WLFI-TV reported. Bagwell said Spigner fell down and began convulsing, according to the television station.
Bagwell told authorities on July 4 that he went to get his phone to call 911, but said he did not make the call because Spigner was already dead.
According to the affidavit, Bagwell got his electric chain saw and dismembered Spigner’s body, the Courier & Journal reported. Police found the two trash bags inside Bagwell’s home, according to the newspaper.
“I think the community was shocked,” Benton County resident John Cox told WLFI. “We’re a very tight-knit, community, a small community. A lot of families. A lot of interconnection among families across the county, and I think it just shocked everybody that something like that happened in one of our small, rural towns.”
Bagwell is being held at Benton County Jail, records show. Bail was set at $300,000.
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