Gay man charged with murder after violent attack on boyfriend
Bryan Canchola has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly beating his boyfriend to death.
The 20-year-old student from Texas has been charged with the murder of his 18-year boyfriend after a violent fight over suspected cheating.
According to Canchola’s co-workers the pair had been dating for two months, reports The Austin Statesman.
Stephen Sylvester was found unconscious and severally beaten by police at his home, but later died from the injuries sustained in a brutal attack.
A roommate of the pair told police that he had heard fighting between the two boyfriends, after he arrived home to find them drunk in the early hours of the morning. It was then that Canchola accused Sylvester of cheating. The fight apparently escalated with the roommate hearing “banging and violent crashing”.
According to police reports, the roommate described a violent fight in which Canchola — who appeared to be extremely intoxicated — punched Sylvester in the face, threw a heavy glass and beer bottles and threatened to kill Sylvester’s dog.
The roommate told how he eventually managed to get Sylvester to the hospital, but that his friend later left before doctors had a chance to examine him.
Canchola later called police to say that Sylvester was unconscious and bleeding after the pair fought.
When they arrived at the apartment, police found Sylvester unconscious with bruises on his face and a possible bite mark on his arm, according to reports.
Officers suspected that someone had tried to clean the blood off Sylvester, and Canchola had changed clothes prior to their arrival.
A post mortem report showed that Sylvester had injuries common with strangulation – including a broken bone in his neck – and found he died from head trauma.
A final picture on Stephen’s Instagram account shows himself and Canchola in a loving embrace, labelled: “This is my life’s journey. Dare to follow?”
A friend has set up a GoFundMe page to help fund Stephen’s funeral.
