Police: Central Florida Man Claims Wife Died During Sex With Belt
Neighbors Tell Police Couple's Divorce Was To Be Finalized In Hours
POSTED: Wednesday, March 21, 2007
UPDATED: 12:18 pm EDT March 21,
2007
COCOA, Fla. -- A 31-year-old man charged in the death of his estranged wife hours before their divorce was to be finalized Wednesday told police that she died during sex while he had a belt wrapped around her neck, according to a police report.
Silvester Walker, 31, was charged with capital murder and sexual battery with a deadly weapon hours after Cocoa Fire Rescue responded to the couple's house on Edinburgh Drive and found his wife, Toni, dead.
In a statement to police, Silvester Walker said he and his estranged wife were involved in sexual activity in which he placed a belt around her neck.
Walker told police that at some point he rolled his wife over and noticed her face was purple, according to a police report.
Walker said he then redressed his wife and called 911, advising them that she wasn’t breathing.
Toni Walker, 28, was transported to Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge, where she was pronounced dead.
During an interview with police, Walker gave officers several different accounts of the incident, according to the report.
Witnesses close to the couple advised police that the couple had filed for a divorce and that was going to be final on March 21.
Although Walker told police that he and the victim remained sexually active during the divorce proceedings, witnesses close to the victim told police that was not true and the victim was very open about the fact that they no longer had a physical relationship, the report said.
Walker told police he knew they were getting a divorce, but had bought the victim a new ring just in case she changed her mind.
According to prior police reports, the two had been together for 11 years and have three children together.
Investigators are awaiting autopsy results.
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