Questions remain as Phoenix area detective is accused of killing his wife
PHOENIX - We are learning more about a detective with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office who is accused of murdering his wife.
We first reported on the arrest of 47-year-old John C. Byrd III on Aug. 1. Byrd is accused of 2nd degree murder for allegedly strangling his wife. Boyd reportedly told police ‘a switch just flipped’ in him during a heated argument on July 31, and he "put his hands around the victim's neck and strangled her to death."
Per investigators, the case began to unfold after a friend of the victim reported to police that the victim did not show up for a gym class that they always attended together, and otherwise did not see or hear from her.
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Maricopa County Attorney's Office detective accused of killing his wife | Crime Files
A detective with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office has been arrested and accused of murdering his wife. The murder suspect told detectives that 'a switch just flipped' in him during a heated argument with his wife.
A website bio for Byrd described him as someone "passionate for domestic violence prevention." He was on medical leave at the time of the alleged crime, and has no prior criminal history.
During his first court appearance, the presiding judge acknowledged possible mental complications while setting his bail.
"It does seem like you have some self-reported, maybe some mental issues going on, that I’m not really sure what they are, if they have been diagnosed or not. I do have some concerns over the unpredictable nature of the act. At this point in time, I think the $750,000 secured is a reasonable bond amount," the presiding judge was heard saying.
Neighbors, suspect's family react to murder
The victim has been identified as Elizabeth Byrd, and those who knew her are struggling to find the words to describe the victim.
"Liz never seemed upset about anything," said Neesha, who lives in the area. "Her kids were the same age as my kids, and they were just best friends. They would come over to play all the time."
Neesha described the suspect and the victim as good people who loved their kids.
"[Boyd] called Liz his queen. He called her the queen of the house many times. We would be talking, and he would say that," said Neesha.
We also spoke with Boyd's family off-camera on Friday.
According to court records, Boyd suffered from stress and depression, but his family suggested it was much more than that, saying that since June, he complained of a searing head pain, and a lack of ability to do certain tasks. The family shared medical records from emergency rooms and neurologists, even saying he had an MRI that was scheduled for Thursday.
Considering Byrd’s ties to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, the Pinal County Attorney’s Office will handle the prosecution of his case.