Alexis Sharkey's nude body was discovered on the side of a road in Texas two days after Thanksgiving 2020. It was determined that she'd been strangled.
The husband of an Instagram influencer killed last year has taken his own life as authorities were about to arrest him for murder.
26-year-old Alexis Sharkey's nude body was discovered on the side of a road in Texas two days after Thanksgiving 2020. After it was determined that she'd been strangled, police say a lengthy investigation followed.
"The investigation determined that Thomas Sharkey, her husband, is the only person who had the means, motive, and opportunity to have committed the murder," Sergeant Michael Burrow from the Houston Police Department said.
"We were able to eliminate other suspects that came up, some of which were brought up by Mr. Sharkey. We established that there was a history of domestic violence between the two of them and that the relationship was ending, and there was a pending divorce."
While Houston authorities say neither of the Sharkeys reported domestic violence incidents to police, the investigation uncovered that the couple was separated. They say Alexis was seeking the divorce, although papers had not been filed.
Investigators say Thomas left Houston within two weeks of his wife's death. They say they had been trying to obtain a DNA sample from him over the summer, but he never showed up to produce one.
US Marshals tracked 50-year-old Thomas Sharkey to a relative's home in Fort Myers, Florida, where they attempted to arrest him on the warrant.
But they say he ran up the stairs and shot himself.
"No one else is suspected of any involvement in the case," Burrow added, "and no one else is under investigation in the case. We have clear evidence that Mr. Sharkey acted alone."
Police say that once they get a DNA sample from Thomas Sharkey's body, they hope to conclude their investigation and close this tragic case.
