A Houston man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his girlfriend in 2018 and dismembering her body before dumping it in Greens Bayou, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Wednesday.

A jury convicted and sentenced Jeffery Andre McDonald, 50, for murder in the death of 58-year-old Rebecca Joy Suhrheinrich.

“Domestic violence can impact any population, any income group, any race and any religion. It is an epidemic, and it can escalate to murder in a flash,” Ogg said. “I’m grateful that we were able to get justice for the victim’s family in this tragic case.”

A manager at Suhrheinrich’s apartment complex forced entry into her unit for a welfare check in July 2018, after she did not report to work on that Monday or the preceding Friday. When the manager saw blood on the floor and walls of the empty apartment, she dialed 911.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office investigators were soon led to Suhrheinrich’s recent boyfriend, McDonald, who had been seen driving her car after the murder.

McDonald’s adult sister later told investigators that she picked up her brother at a park near Greens Bayou, and that he had been acting strange. He appeared disheveled and seemed to be in distress. She took him to her home, where he took a nap.

When he awoke, he asked his sister for a ride back to the area where he was picked up the day before and took bleach with him. He asked her to stop to let him out at the bridge where Suhrheinrich’s body was eventually found by law enforcement. Later, when McDonald’s sister learned Suhrheinrich was missing, she told authorities about his behavior and where he told her to stop her vehicle. They found her remains there at Greens Bayou wrapped in a white bedsheet.

McDonald was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Chandler Raine and ADA Phillip White.

“The work done by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and our support staff at the DA’s Office was instrumental in getting justice for Ms. Suhrheinrich and her family,” ADA Raine said. “We appreciate the jury’s work and attention over the past two weeks, and were honored to give Ms. Suhrheinrich a voice during the trial.”