Texas man found guilty in death, dismemberment of student

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) —

A 31-year-old man has been convicted of murder in the death of a Texas college student whose body was found dismembered, burned and with her heart cut out.

A jury in Fort Worth deliberated for less than three hours Monday before convicting Charles Dean Bryant in the death of 24-year-old Jacqueline Vandagriff, a Texas Woman’s University student.

Bryant also was found guilty of tampering with evidence.

Defense attorney Glynis McGinty argued that Vandagriff died accidentally during consensual sex with Bryant. She says a plastic tie was placed around Vandagriff’s neck, causing asphyxiation. Prosecutors say there’s no evidence the two had sex.

McGinty says Bryant committed a crime by panicking and disposing of the woman’s body in September 2016, but he did not commit murder.

The punishment phase is underway.