Texas man charged with murder after his 81-year-old mother’s body found in zippered bag, police say

A Texas man is accused of killing his mother and stuffing her body in a zippered bag just days after he got out of jail, police said.

On Feb. 1, officers conducting a wellbeing check at the Irving home of 81-year-old Laverne Coggins found her dead in the large bag in her garage.

After the grisly discovery, officers forced their way into the woman’s home, and they located her son, Christopher Coggins, 52, in the attic and took him into custody, according to KTVT.

He was being held on $1.05 million bond in the Dallas County jail for murder and a probation violation.

Christopher Coggins was suspected of being violent with the victim in the past, including last June when he was arrested for unlawful restraining, and injury to an elderly individual, WOAI-TV reported.

Court records show the unlawful restraining charge was later dismissed. A judge granted him deferred adjudication on the injury charge, and he was granted probation with the condition he have no contact with his mother.

On Jan. 27, Christopher Coggins was released from jail — five days before the elderly woman was found dead.

Anyone with information about the case is requested to phone the Irving Police Department 972-273-1010 or submit tips online to ipdcrimetips@cityofirving.org.