Affidavit outlines how couple tried to cover up killing

LARAMIE —A California woman accused of being involved in the murder and mutilation of a Laramie man gave police conflicting accounts of the killing. 
An affidavit of probable cause for the arrest of Erin B. Wade, 25, also details a string of text messages Wade traded with her boyfriend, who’s been charged with second-degree murder and is being held in the Albany County Detention Center on a $1 million bond. 
Hunter O. Fulton, 29, was arrested July 29 sitting in a running vehicle at a local motel “30 seconds” from hitting the road to leave Laramie. 
The body of 27-year-old Matthew Caggiano, who had been reported missing and was last seen at a local bar with Fulton and Wade, was found in the couple’s room at the Gas Lite Motel. His body was found with a trash bag in the bathtub and had cuts to his torso. 
Wade was arrested Tuesday in San Joaquin County, California, where she had fled to June 25, the day Caggiano was last seen, according to the affidavit written by Laramie Police Department Detective Matthew Leibovitz. 
Laramie police investigators were able to contact Wade in California by phone in the days leading up to Fulton’s arrest, when she claimed Fulton shot and killed Caggiano after he entered her motel room and tried to assault her, according to the affidavit. 
When pressed with the investigator’s belief she was lying, Wade changed her story. 
She claimed Caggioano came into the room when Fulton had left to get some ice, then when Fulton came back the men fought, the affidavit says. 
“She stated that some sort of physical ‘violent’ confrontation between Fulton and this male subject had occurred,” Leibovitz wrote. During the fight “she had heard a ‘gunshot.’ She stated that she knew her boyfriend, Fulton, typically carried a handgun. 
“She then relayed that Fulton had shot this male individual, believed to be (Caggiano).”
She also said that Caggiano had brought duct tape and zip ties with him into the room, along with a knife; however, police never found those items during their investigation. Later in her talks with the LPD, Wade changed her story when asked “if she was being untruthful or had omitted any additional information,” the affidavit said. 
At that time, Wade said Caggiano actually had not entered the motel room the way she originally said, and that he “had actually been invited into the room by both her and Fulton because he ‘did not have a place to stay.’” 
With a search warrant to access Fulton’s cellphone, police found a flurry of text messages between Fulton and Wade in the wake of the killing, according to the affidavit. 
After Fulton told Wade to delete his contact information in her phone and all texts between them, Wade said she would and said, “I do love you so f---- — much.” 
She also asked him to send her some money. 
She tried to console Fulton in texts sent at 9:35 a.m. June 26.
“And trust me. I 100% wish things didn’t happen the way they did,” it reads. “I understand they had to. But just know I’m f---- — depressed having left. My heart is also broken.” 
Fulton responded with a reassurance that, “If you were with me you’d have nothing to fear.” “I understand,” Wade answered. “But I can’t watch that s- — happen again in my life either.” 
A few minutes later, the couple appeared to discuss Fulton’s drinking and the aftermath of the murder. 
“But were you able to take care of everything over there after drinking so much?” Wade asked. 
“I’m not finished,” Fulton responded, “it’s out of the bath and bagged up though.” 
“The carpets are cleaned?” Wade asked, to which Fulton answered, “Yes.” 
Wade then told him that, “I’m so f---- — scared.” 

She also urged Fulton to go to the motel office and pay for another night’s stay to make sure he had enough time to finish cleaning up the room. 
“You need to make sure everything is handled smartly and not sloppily or rushed. If you need to pay for another night in that room. But I want you to be smart about all of it and not be rushed,” Wade said in texts sent at 5:39 a.m. June 27. “I think you should pay for tomorrow night. Just one night. To make sure everything is cleaned and out the way you want it to be.” 
Then in a series of texts from 5:48-6:16 p.m. June 29, Wade relayed to Fulton that the LPD had been contacting her, that “they know stuff ” and that “I have to tell them.” 
That’s when Fulton was arrested sitting in his running vehicle “while using his telephone,” the affidavit said. 
Along with interviews with the suspects and text messages, affidavits filed with the court by Leibovitz for Wade and Fulton outline that the victim was found in a trash bag in the bathtub of the motel room. Also found were saws and other tools bought from a local hardware store June 25. 
At about noon, video surveillance from the hardware store shows Fulton and Wade buying the tools found in the room. 
“Wade was present with Fulton during the selection and purchase of the above listed items,” the affidavit said, adding that “both parties were observed holding hands and laughing while in the store for approximately four (4) minutes. 
“Additionally, video evidence shows that Wade’s red Hyundai passenger vehicle was used to drive to the store to pick up the items.” 
The affidavit states that “based on the totality of the circumstances, it is evident that these aforementioned items were purchased for the purpose of dismembering the body of (the victim) and destroying evidence of criminal activity.” 
Police also found “various pieces of evidence” in black contractor bags in Fulton’s vehicle. They also found clothing believed to be the victim’s along with the couple’s own clothes covered in suspected blood and other matter. Various soiled towels and bedding from the room also were in his vehicle, along with “multiple disposable gloves.” 
Along with second-degree murder, Fulton also faces charges of mutilation of dead human bodies, possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful attempt and aggravated assault and battery. 
Wade is being held in the San Juaquin County jail on $40,000 on charges of accessory after the fact to murder in the second degree, accessory after the fact to aggravated assault and battery and conspiracy to commit mutilation of dead human bodies. 
 
 
This story was published on July 17, 2022.