The death of a Texas mother of four who was found hanged to death on a pier last month is being investigated as a homicide, police said this week.
Investigators believe that suspect Gisele Tapia Salazar, 30, tried to make it look like she committed suicide, and media reports say police have now identified two suspects in the case.
Tapia Salazar’s body was found May 31 in League City, hanging from a rope near the boat she shared with her boyfriend, James Hart.
Police said they believe she was murdered and then tied to the pier.
“This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.” Hart told KHOU. Regarding Tapia Salazar’s death.
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Gisele Salazar Tapia, a Texas mother of four, was found hanged to death on a pier in what police believe was a staged suicide. (GoFundMe)
Hart has strongly denied any involvement in the suspected crimes.
“It’s like a nightmare I can’t wake up from. I have nothing to do with it and never will. I loved Gisele more than anything in this world. We were together 24 hours a day. I want justice for Gisele and for myself.”
Security cameras near the scene had also been tampered with – one was turned off and another was facing the wrong direction, the media reported.
League City police said Hart became distraught after being informed of the discovery and initially refused to leave the boat.
He told detectives that on the day she disappeared he left his bedroom to go to the bathroom and never saw her again.
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Police in Texas have identified two suspects in the death of Gisele Tapia Saraza, who was found hanged on a marina pier in May. (GoFundMe)
A neighbor found Tapia Salazar’s body half submerged in water and noticed her arm was in an unusual position.
“Based on the position of the arm, it appears that she likely died somewhere else,” League City Police Lt. Eric Cox told KHOU. “Rigor mortis had set in and the arm remained in that position after it was moved.”
Neighbor Christian Allen also suspected foul play.
“I don’t believe in suicide. I want them to catch whoever did it because my kids are here. I don’t want to live near a murderer,” he told KHOU.
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Gisele Tapia Salazar, a mother of four from Texas, was found hanged from a pier in May in what police believe was a staged suicide. (GoFundMe)
Tapia Salazar’s brother, Nathan Paz, has set up a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses and support her four children.
“Gisele was one of the most charismatic people you’ll ever meet, smiling and making friends with everyone she met,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Gisele always looked for the good in people, even when they didn’t deserve her kindness.”
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Her sister, Esperanza Alegría, also suspected her brother had been murdered.
“I want people to know that my sister didn’t do this to herself,” she said. He told ABC13. “She didn’t commit suicide. We just want justice for her. We want whoever is responsible, who did this to my sister, to be charged for what they did to my sister.”
Investigators are continuing to investigate and are trying to determine the cause of death in this incident.
