A Texas Man Had an Anniversary to Celebrate. So He Killed His Wife, Put Her Body in the Trash and Met a Sex Worker.

A central Texas man pleaded guilty to murdering his wife with a wrench on their wedding anniversary, then putting her body in a suitcase and leaving that case in a trash compactor.

Travis Hall, 51, entered his plea to murder and evidence tampering on what was scheduled to be the first day of his trial in Williamson County.

KXAN-TV indicated the day included an opening statement by Williamson County Prosecutor Mike Waldman outlining what authorities believe happened in February 2021.

Waldman says Hall booked a hotel room near Houston – not to celebrate 27 years married to his wife Julie Hall, but to have an adulterous affair with a sex worker.

Waldman added that Hall obtained a $100,000 life insurance policy at around the same time.

Detectives say they found splatters of blood in the couple's Georgetown apartment. They also found a pipe wrench with blood on it.

Hall told authorities that his wife was changing a drill bit and cut herself. But Waldman said Hall actually beat his bride, then wrapped her body in sheets.

The body was put in a heavy suitcase, according to the prosecution. Then the case was placed in a trash compactor at the couple's apartment complex.

Julie Hall's body never has been found. It's believed to be at a dump site.

Hall's attorneys indicated he did all those things, but not with a murder plot in mind. They said his motive was “sudden passion” with the sex worker and he was “shooting from the hip.”

But prosecutors said he lied several times about events leading to the murder.

Williamson County Jail records show Hall also had two prior arrests for theft. County court records do not indicate if further hearings were planned for Hall beyond his murder trial

Julie Hall worked as an aide in special education for public schools.