Judge lowers bond of San Antonio Air Force officer whose wife is still missing

USAF Reserve Maj. Andre McDonald, center, talks with his attorney, John A. Convery,, left, after a bond reduction hearing in Judge Frank CastroÕs 399th state District Court in the Cadena-Reeves Criminal Justice Center. McDonald, accused of tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his wife, Andreen McDonald, who is missing and presumed dead by authorities, had his $2 million bond reduced to $300,000 by the judge. The judge added additional conditions to McDonaldÕs bond including GPS monitoring, house arrest and no contact with his daughter. less USAF Reserve Maj. Andre McDonald, center, talks with his attorney, John A. Convery,, left, after a bond reduction hearing in Judge Frank CastroÕs 399th state District Court in the Cadena-Reeves Criminal ... more Photo: William Luther, Staff Photographer Photo: William Luther, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 57 Caption Close Judge lowers bond of San Antonio Air Force officer whose wife is still missing 1 / 57 Back to Gallery

A judge has lowered the bond required to release the Air Force Reserve major who is accused of tampering with evidence in the disappearance of his wife.

State District Judge Frank Castro reduced the bail of Andre Sean McDonald from $2 million on the single charge to $300,000. He also ordered McDonald to wear an electronic monitoring device and put him under full house arrest.

The reduction means that instead of having to come up with a $200,000 bond to be released — a bond is usually 10 percent of the bail amount — McDonald can be freed on a $30,000 bond.

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His attorney, John Convery, said he’s working to see whether his client can post the lower bond.

McDonald, 40, assigned to a cyberwarfare unit at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, has been in the Bexar County jail since his arrest March 3.

His wife, Andreen Nicole McDonald, 29, a local businesswoman and mother of their 6-year-old daughter, was last seen arguing with her husband Feb. 28.

She was reported missing March 1 after not showing up for work and law enforcement officers say she is presumed dead.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio businesswoman still missing

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar has said a search of the home found the woman’s blood and hair in the couple’s master bedroom, and search warrants established that after his wife went missing, McDonald bought a shovel, ax, trash bags, gloves and gasoline.

Authorities said burn pits also were found in the couple’s backyard in their Timberwood Park neighborhood on the far North Side.

Andre McDonald was being held on $2 million bail on one count of tampering with evidence. Convery argued that amount was excessive, more than the amount necessary to ensure his presence at future legal proceedings.

On ExpressNews.com: Missing SA woman’s husband arrested on tampering with evidence charge

Based on information that McDonald might have gone to Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, that area was searched for hours in the weeks after his wife went missing.

Official searches ended two weeks ago; Salazar said they wouldn’t resume until there’s “direct evidence taking us to a certain site.”

Private searches have continued, however, and Salazar said he didn’t want to discourage those efforts. But he cautioned searchers looking in brushy, wooded and other undeveloped areas to be aware of potential risks including weather and wildlife, especially snakes.

“Realize that with spring weather approaching, the snakes are out,” Salazar said at a news conference last week. “It could be dangerous.”

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect responsible for McDonald’s disappearance.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863