CBP specialist charged in Thanksgiving Day murder

Saturday, November 30, 2019
Border Patrol specialist charged in Thanksgiving Day murder
Dudley Bernard, 40, has been charged with murder after officers found his wife shot to death at the front door of a home late Thanksgiving Day.

LEAGUE CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A League City man has been arrested after police found his wife shot to death at the front door of their home on Thanksgiving Day.

Dudley Bernard, 40, was charged with murder and is accused of killing 42-year-old Chauntelle Bernard.

Officers responded to a disturbance call Thursday night at a home in the 2300 block of Indigo Harbour Lane, saying there were reports of multiple gunshots.

Video given to ABC13 by a neighbor includes audio of Dudley being arrested. The neighbor said he was on the ground as an officer was questioning him and a family member is heard screaming.

Video given to ABC13 by a neighbor shows audio of the suspect being arrested.

Police said the couple, along with their two young sons, were inside celebrating Thanksgiving with family. The wife was shot multiple times, according to police. Officers said Dudley fully cooperated with them during the arrest.

Investigators say the husband and wife both worked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"Both Dudley Bernard and his wife Chauntelle were employees of the United States Customs and last night, the customs department did arrive on the scene to take federal property from the house," said John Griffith with League City.

A CBP spokesperson sent ABC13 the following statement Friday:

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist Dudley Bernard was arrested by the League City Police Department on Nov. 28 while he was off duty. Since, August 2008, he has worked CBP agriculture operations in the Houston Seaport environment. CBP is fully cooperating with the League City Police Department who is leading this investigation. CBP Officer Chauntelle Bernard joined CBP in 2008 and she worked her way up the supervisory chain to become a supervisory CBP officer. Houston was her only duty station. No words can express the sense of loss SCBPO Bernard's death brings to her colleagues and friends in CBP. Please direct any further inquiries to the League City Police Department."

Neighbors told ABC13 the wife was always friendly.

Dudley is being held at the Galveston County jail on a $200,000 bond.

READ ALSO: Texas City woman strangled on Thanksgiving honored as family prays for justice

Keyonna Allums was strangled in her Texas City apartment complex in 2014. She had spent that morning preparing for Thanksgiving dinner and was killed later that afternoon inside her apartment.

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