Houston man found guilty of killing ex, stuffing her body in box

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man has been found guilty in in the 2012 murder of his ex-girlfriend.

A Houston jury on Thursday convicted Mark Augustin Castellano of murdering Michelle Warner. Investigators say Castellano stuffed Warner's body in a utility container, then dumped the mother of two in an oilfield in the Midland area.

Investigators say Castellano had originally crafted an elaborate story about how Warner just walked off. He even went on the Dr. Phil show to talk about her disappearance.

But his story began to unravel, according to detectives, then he confessed, detailing the murder to them step-by-step. He said they had an argument, during which he grabbed her around the throat, pushed her on the bed and heard her neck snap.

After the verdict, the trial moved straight into the punishment phase.