BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A Central Broward man has been arrested on a second-degree murder charge in connection with his wife’s death and the disposal of her body, authorities announced on Tuesday.
Ernest Gordon, 44, was taken into custody last Friday at his girlfriend’s home in Lauderhill.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Gordon reported his wife, Wanda Gordon, 42, missing on Nov. 7, but they say she was already dead at that time.
Detectives with BSO’s Missing Persons Unit searched for Wanda Gordon before transferring the case to the Homicide Unit on Nov. 23.
Authorities say it was discovered that Wanda Gordon returned home from Fort Lauderdale Beach around 12:50 a.m. Nov. 5. with her husband and her three children.
Phone records revealed to detectives that the phone left her home around 4 a.m. and ended up in a rural area to the west near U.S. 27 at the Broward/Palm Beach County line, authorities said.
Deputies said the phone remained in that area until 4:50 a.m.
According to authorities, detectives later confirmed that Ernest Gordon was in the area and was confronted by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer, who was working an off-duty detail providing security at a construction site.
Deputies said the FWC officer pulled over Ernest Gordon after he entered the restricted construction area and took a picture of the trash bags in the back of his GMC pickup truck before giving him a warning about illegal dumping, which was common at the site.
The victim’s cellphone data showed that the phone ultimately ended up in a heavily wooded area in Tamarac.
“For two days (Dec. 2 and Dec. 3), investigators searched in the heavily wooded area of 10601 State St. in Tamarac, where Wanda’s phone was last known to be located,” a news release from BSO stated. “Following the extensive search in sometimes waist-deep muddy water, investigators recovered the victim’s cellphone and discovered skeletal remains and several articles of clothing.”
An arrest warrant was obtained for Ernest Gordon last Thursday and he was arrested around 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Deputies said Ernest Gordon has denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance and death.
Authorities have not disclosed how Wanda Gordon was killed.