Texas man facing murder charges for the beating death of his boyfriend in Austin

According to an arrest affidavit, Bryan Canchola was taken into custody on Friday morning following a domestic dispute that left his boyfriend, Stephen Sylvester, dead. According to an arrest affidavit, Bryan Canchola was taken into custody on Friday morning following a domestic dispute that left his boyfriend, Stephen Sylvester, dead. Photo: Travis County Jail Photo: Travis County Jail Image 1 of / 45 Caption Close Texas man facing murder charges for the beating death of his boyfriend in Austin 1 / 45 Back to Gallery

The bludgeoning death of an 18-year-old Austin man at the hands of his lover was purely fueled by alcohol, a friend of the couple who was with them the day before said in a phone interview Monday.

Bryan Canchola, 20, is facing a first-degree murder charge after police say he beat his boyfriend Stephen Sylvester, 18, to death early Friday morning at their West Campus apartment following a night of drinking and an argument over infidelity, according to an arrest affidavit.

Lesley Leibol, a coworker of Canchola, told the San Antonio Express-News that the couple had been together about two months and that violence had not been a part of their relationship prior to Friday.

"They argued but they were always little relationship arguments, but everything was always fine," Lesley Leibol said. "They were completely fine Thursday."

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Canchola called Austin police early Friday morning and told them he and Sylvester had been arguing, and that Sylvester was unconscious in their three-bedroom apartment on West 26th street with an injury on the back of his head, the report said.

Autopsy reports found bleeding on Sylvester’s brain, a bone fracture in his neck, multiple bruises on his face and body and “possible bite marks” on his left forearm, ultimately determining the cause of his death to be head trauma, the report said.

The couple shared the apartment with William Landry at the GrandMarc Apartment complex, according to the affidavit.

According to Landry, the altercation between the couple began on Friday morning around 4:13 a.m. after the couple returned from bars on 4th street in Austin, when he heard screaming, shouting and banging from the couple’s room.

Landry exited his room to check on the situation when he heard Canchola scream “Why would you cheat on me?” Shortly after, both exited the room in a shoving match when Landry asked both to calm down – both apologized and returned to their room before the fighting ensued again, this time involving the Yorkshire Terrier belonging to Sylvester, the affidavit said.

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Landry told police he could hear Sylvester screaming to let the dog go, with the dog yelping, the affidavit said. After forcing himself into the room, Landry noticed blood spattered on the wall and blood pouring down the back of Sylvester’s neck and decided to take him to the hospital.

Canchola punched Sylvester in the face and threw beer bottles and drinking glasses at Landry and Sylvester as they left to University Medical Center Breckenridge, according to the report. Shortly after checking in, Sylvester left the hospital without notifying Landry, or getting medical attention.

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Out of fear that Sylvester returned to the apartment to continue to resolve the conflict with Canchola, Landry went to a neighbor’s apartment to call 911 at 5:49 a.m.. Approximately 30 minutes later, Canchola called 911 to report that he and his boyfriend had been fighting and that Sylvester was bleeding from the back of his head, and unconscious, the affidavit said.

When officers arrived, they noticed a lack of blood on Sylvester's body and believed that it may have been cleaned, the report said.

Additionally, the affidavit said the Yorkshire Terrier, which Canchola had earlier threatened to kill, had sustained injuries consistent with strangulation and that Canchola had changed clothing while EMS tended to Sylvester’s body.

About 10 minutes after calling police, Canchola texted his step dad saying he was “scared, in trouble and did not know what to do,” the document states.

Canchola is currently at the Travis County Jail with his bond set at $500,000.

One woman close to Sylvester set up a GoFundMe account to finance his funeral.

MMedina@mySA.com

Twitter: @MariahMedinaaa