Suvechha Sarkar
Byron J. Wright was a kind and compassionate man who was loved by his friends and family. However, his loved ones were left grappling with questions when he seemingly stopped any contact with everyone in 2004. Almost a decade later, his remains were discovered at his home in Arlington, Washington. The case is revisited in Investigation Discovery’s ‘Til Death Do Us Part: The House Out on Wade Road,’ and unravels that someone close to him turned out to be the killer. It also features interviews with his loved ones and the officials who helped serve justice.
Byron Wright’s Remains Were Found Buried in His Garage
Byron J. Wright was born on May 18, 1951, in Washington, and arrived as a ray of sunshine in the lives of his parents. Growing up, he maintained a close bond with his brother, Norman, and sisters, Karen and Sharon. However, tragedy struck the household when their father abandoned the family around the late 1950s. Their mother began raising them alone on welfare until she fell sick with multiple sclerosis. When she could no longer care for them, Byron and his siblings went to live with their aunt in Ballard, a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington. He had a profound love for cars, leading him to race at Seattle International Raceway. Byron served in the Coast Guard for four years before his passion for mechanical things paved the way for him to a career as an aircraft professional.
Byron eventually joined Boeing and continued to work there for 23 years. He saved money and bought his land and house on Wade Road in Arlington. He also made a shop/garage at the back of his home, where he worked on his cars and stored them. Byron reportedly collected eight cars, including a Corvette Stingray and a ’65 Chevy Malibu. In 1995, he met Michele Donohue, and they soon began dating. Shortly after, she moved into his home with her daughter, Heather Wagonblast, from her previous marriage. After five years of dating, they tied the knot in 2000. Reports stated that although Byron maintained a close relationship with his loved ones, he gradually withdrew from everyone.
Byron had made no contact with his friends or family following August or September 2004. According to official records, the matter didn’t come into focus until a tip from a prison informant led officials to execute a search warrant on his property on February 13, 2014. They dug into the concrete floor of his shop and discovered a large blue box filled with mud. Upon inspection, the expert reportedly spotted a human skull in that mud. Ultimately, the remains were identified as Byron’s with the help of dental records. Since the remains were encased in concrete, they were relatively preserved. It allowed the autopsy to determine that he sustained multiple stab wounds to his neck and head. Furthermore, it was revealed that his remains were dismembered. Byron’s cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds.
A Tip After Nearly 10 Years Raised Suspicion About Byron Wright’s Absence
According to Heather, Michele told her around September 2004 that Byron had allegedly left a note. Michele claimed he had left her for another woman and didn’t want anything from his old life. By October 2004, she reportedly filed for a divorce and claimed he had abandoned her. As per court records, it was an absentee divorce situation, and Byron wasn’t reportedly present during the divorce proceedings. Ultimately, Michele inherited his house and pension money. She also sold the land next to the house and all of Byron’s vehicles. Eventually, she married Joel Donohue, and he moved in at Byron’s home. Things took a turn when, in 2013, an inmate who was arrested for car theft reportedly tipped off detectives.
Police records state that the informant admitted that he often hung out at a “Chop Shop,” where stolen cars were taken. He told them that Michele and Joel were actually the owners and claimed that Joel frequently mistreated Michele. As per official records, the informant stated that he spoke with another Chop Shop member, Michael Huselein, who told him that Michele had killed her last husband. So investigators began looking into the matter, but found no missing persons report for Byron. They learned that he was not very social, so most of his friends didn’t suspect anything, despite not hearing from him for many years. They questioned his sister, Sharon, who informed them that she tried to file a missing persons report in 2009, but it was not registered since Michele claimed Byron left on his own accord.
A Wiretap Recording and a Confession Led to the Arrest of the Killer
Officials reportedly discovered that Byron’s driver’s license had expired in 2008 and wasn’t renewed. Byron’s last trace dated back to September 2004. On January 23, 2014, detectives sent the informant with a wire to the Chop Shop to speak to Michael. The reports stated that the recording caught Michael saying that Michele stabbed and killed Byron. He continued that she then dismembered him in the kitchen before burying him in the yard. It was also reportedly recorded that Joel, two of his friends, and Michael later helped move the remains to the garage. He said they reportedly dug a hole in the concrete floor and poured concrete on the remains.
On February 13, 2014, Michele and Joel were arrested for possessing stolen vehicles. Following that, the execution of a search warrant led to the discovery of Byron’s remains. During questioning, Michele insisted her ex-husband abandoned her for another woman and denied killing him. However, Joel confessed that Michele had described to him that Byron was allegedly abusive towards her, and she killed him, allegedly in self-defense. He reportedly denied killing him but admitted that Michele initially buried Byron in the yard. He confessed that he and his associates later reburied the body in the garage. Ultimately, Michele was charged with the murder of Byron. However, there seem to be no public records of Joel facing any charges of being an accessory after the fact.
Michele Donohue is Incarcerated at a Washington Prison Facility Today
The prosecution formally charged Michele with second-degree murder in February 2014. According to court records, they stated that the murder possibly happened between August 1, 2004, and October 1, 2004. Ultimately, Michele admitted to second-degree murder and pleaded guilty on July 11, 2014. The prosecution was reportedly unable to charge her with first-degree murder because proving premeditation was tricky, since a lot of time had passed since the murder. Michele was sentenced to 16 years in prison on July 29, 2014. During the sentencing, she claimed the murder wasn’t planned and stated she “lost control of her emotions and anger.” Michele apologized, saying, “I want his family to know I’m so sorry.” As of writing, she is serving her time in prison at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Rosedale, Washington.
