LEAGUE CITY, Texas — A woman’s boyfriend has been charged in connection with her death after she was found hanging on a marina dock nearly two months ago, according to the League City Police Department.
Police say James Hart, 51, is charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse in connection with the death of Giselle Tapia-Salazar.
The body of the 30-year-old mother of four was found on May 31.
Back in June, detectives said they thought Tapia-Salazar could have died somewhere else before her body was moved and hung on the dock just outside her boyfriend's boat.
Hart was arrested just after 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at the marina dock on Davis Road without incident. Officials have requested an $80,000 bond.
RELATED: 'Feels like a nightmare' | Hear from boyfriend of woman found hanging at League City marina dock
Police say more charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
“LCPD Detectives are hoping to have the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office’s full report to include Salazar-Tapia’s toxicology report, sometime next week," a spokesperson said in a statement. "So at the moment, this is still an ongoing investigation.”
'I loved Giselle more than anything in the world'
Tapia-Salazar was living on the boat with Hart, but he told KHOU 11 News in June that he wanted to make it clear that he didn't hurt the woman he loved.
"This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. It feels like a nightmare you can't wake up from," Hart said in an interview.
In June, Hart said it had been hard for him to sleep in the days since Tapia-Salazar was found dead by his boat. Police said he was the last person to see her alive and he told them she got off the boat early in the morning to go to the bathroom but never came back.
Back then he said he knew people thought he was responsible.
"I didn't have anything to do with it and I never would have. I loved Giselle more than anything in the world. We were together 24/7," Hart said.
Christian Allen, a neighbor in the marina, found Giselle's body partially submerged in the water.
"At first, I thought it was a mannequin and then we realized ... we recognized her," Allen said.
He said one of her arms was in a noticeably awkward position.
"I didn't buy the whole suicide thing," Allen said.
Back then, police said they suspected foul play as well.
"Because of the position of her arm, we believe she probably passed away somewhere else. Rigor Mortis set in and then when she was moved, her arms stayed in that position," League City Police Lt. Eric Cox said.
Investigators said they were combing through nearly 2,000 surveillance video clips to gather clues. They said that so far, the last image they have of Giselle alive is on her boyfriend's boat around 1:35 a.m. the day she was found dead.
Hart said he hoped the video would lead police to whoever killed his girlfriend.
"There's so many questions and not many answers. There should be no doubt who did this. There are so many cameras in this marina. There's no way this isn't all on film," Hart said.
Police said they had responded to disturbance calls at Hart's boat in the past. It's something neighbors verified.
"Them two fought like crazy and they loved like crazy. Just one of those relationships ... arguing one day and hand-in-hand skipping the other day," Allen said.
Hart said in June he wanted the public to know he and Giselle loved each other and she didn't deserve what happened to her. He also wanted his name cleared.
"I want justice for Giselle and for myself," Hart said.
Those who live at the typically quiet marina said they just want to find out how the mother of four ended up dead.
"I want them to catch them because my kids are here and I don't want to live near a murderer," Allen said.
Anyone with information is asked to call League City police at 281-332-2566 or Galveston County Crime Stoppers at 409-763-8477.