Texas College Student Charged With Murder of Teen Boyfriend

A Texas college student was charged with first-degree murder after he allegedly beat his 19-year-old boyfriend to death early Friday morning, after a night of drinking, the Daily Mail reports.

Bryan Canchola, 20, is accused of beating Stephen Sylvester during an intense argument at their apartment in Austin, according to police.

According to an affidavit obtained by Austin ABC-Affiliate station KVUE, the couple's roommate, who was not named, said the two couple woke him up around 4 a.m. after hearing screams and loud noises. The roommate said he heard Canchola allegedly yell at his boyfriend, "Why would you cheat on me?"

The roommate then told the couple to calm down and said they went back to their room after apologizing to each other.

Not long after that, however, the roommate said he heard more thrashing and screaming and heard Sylvester scream, "Let go; I'm trying to leave." Sylvester's dog, named Harlow, yelped and the teen yelled, "Let the dog go."

The roommate made his way into the couple's room where Canchola, a student at St. Mary's University, became aggressive towards him. The roommate also said he saw blood splattered on the wall of the bedroom.

The roommate then went to the kitchen where he saw Sylvester holding the back of his head. Blood was pouring down the back of his neck and on his shirt, according to reports. The roommate helped Sylvester get his things to go to the hospital, but Canchola allegedly punched his boyfriend in the side of the face, causing him to fall to the floor. Canchola also threw glasses at Sylvester and the roommate as they left the apartment.

Sylvester was checked into a nearby hospital but unexpectedly left without being treated, according to KVUE. When the roommate learned Sylvester left, he called 911, worried that the teen went back to the apartment to work things out with Canchola.

The college student also called 911 to report he and Sylvester were fighting. He reportedly told authorities the teen was bleeding from the back of his head and was unconscious. Police arrived at the scene around 5:30 a.m. and said Sylvester was taken back to the hospital where he later died.

According to autopsy results, the teen suffered bleeding on the brain and a fracture in his neck. He also showed signs of strangulation. Sylvester's dog also appeared to have been strangled, KVUE reports.

The affidavit said Canchola sent texts to his stepfather about the fight and said he was "scared, in trouble and did not know what to do." Documents also say that, according to one officer at the scene, the college student changed his clothes at some point while EMS officials were taking care of Sylvester at the apartment.

The officer also said it appeared that Canchola had blood on his lips, hands and feet. He added there was a "considerable lack of blood on Sylvester which suggested to him that the body may have been cleaned prior to his arrival."

Canchola is currently in custody with a $500,000 bond.