HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Patrick Lambert, the man accused of murdering his wife and then stuffing her body in the refrigerator, appeared in probable cause court for the first time Thursday. He is being held without bond.
Dressed in a green sweater and wearing glasses, Lambert said nothing as the charges were read out loud. The details, which we are hearing for the first time, are even more shocking than what's been publicly known about the crime.
Prosecutors say Lambert's wife, Anastacia Oaikhena-Lambert, was last seen at work on September 26. Her body was discovered in the refrigerator of her own apartment some 10 weeks later. We now know that she was stabbed 19 times.
We are also learning the Lamberts had a troubled history. According to court records, Anastacia moved to a Houston-area women's shelter with the couple's 11-month-old son, Achilles, from Hawaii in February of this year. After several months, she was able to move to out in June. As part of her arrangement with the shelter, she had meetings with them once a month. In exchange, the shelter provided some financial help for her to pay the electric bill. Anastacia's last meeting with the shelter was on September 14.
A search of criminal records show lambert with an extensive arrest record in Florida that includes traffic violations, carrying a weapon on school property and beating a pregnant woman.
Florida Department of State records show he started a company called Murder Squad Records in 2002. On social media, there is a song called "Murder Squad Anthem."
According to a court document, read by a prosecutor Thursday afternoon, Lambert impersonated his wife after her death so as not to attract attention. While her body was rotting in the refrigerator, Houston Police were able to verify that he was in control of her Facebook page going all the way back to September 26th.
Police believe Lambert fled to Mexico with Achilles. Achilles was recovered safe on the same day Lambert was arrested.
Mexican television station Televisa Queretaro report Lambert had been teaching English at a school in Queretaro, some 500 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border. Achilles remains in the custody of state authorities there.
Lambert is expected back in court Friday morning.