MIDLAND, TX (KWES) - Benjamin Moore sat in jail for almost two weeks, accused of strangling his wife. Midland police were pushing for a murder charge. His wife, Natasha, passed away less than a week ago and her body was sent to Tarrant County for an autopsy.
"As soon as the autopsy report was received by police yesterday, we worked with the DA to discuss what the next move was," said Sara Bustilloz, Midland Public Information Officer.
Originally when police responded to the home on March 26, they arrested Moore for aggravated assault. He told police he found his wife in the closet hanging from a curling iron cord, but said he didn't do it. He said someone came in and did it or told her to do it to get him in trouble.
Police looked at the superficial markings on her neck and thought they were consistent with strangulation.
"What the police took a look at was what they saw on scene. They were to look at the totality of the circumstances and make a decision about whether or not they had probable cause and they did," said Bustilloz.
The preliminary autopsy results told a different story.
"They were able to see that the trauma that was actually caused to your neck and the tissues was actually consistent with self-inflicted hanging and not strangulation," said Bustilloz.
MPD said they worked closely with Natasha's family from the beginning and they are shocked by what the autopsy revealed.
"Upon receiving that news of the autopsy, that's not what they were expecting to hear," said Bustilloz.
MPD is waiting for toxicology results but don't plan to go any further with the case unless new evidence is brought forward.
