Colton Pitonyak, 22, was arrested in Eagle Pass early Tuesday morning.
Pitonyak was arrested at 2 a.m. when he was deported from Piedras Niegras, Mexico, on an immigration violation. He is charged with the intentional murder of Jennifer Cave, 21. That's a first-degree felony.
Authorities say Pitonyak was traveling with Laura Hall, 22.
Pitonyak, of Little Rock, Ark., was a student at the University of Texas. Cave was supposed to start work at a law firm when she went missing.
Last Wednesday, Cave's mother received a call saying Jennifer hadn't shown up for work at her new job. So, the mother and her boyfriend, Jim Sedwick, went to Colton's apartment, police said.
"Sedwick told officers he entered the apartment through a window and he began yelling for Jennifer. Sedwick advised as he walked through the hallway he smelled a foul odor and immediately realized something was wrong,” Austin Police Department Homicide investigator Jessica Robledo said.
Cave was found dead in Pitonyak’s West Campus apartment on Thursday, Aug. 18, with obvious signs of trauma. Arrest affidavits described the horrific scene: Cave was shot, stabbed and dismembered. Her body was discarded in Pitonyak’s bathtub.
Detectives believe the murder was not random, but they don't know the nature of the relationship between Cave and Pitonyak.
"We want the public to know this was not a random act of violence. It was acquaintance-on-acquaintance,” Robledo said.
After the murder, on Wednesday afternoon, police believe, Pitonyak was seen at a nearby hardware store, Breed and Co. Store clerks say he bought several items including a hacksaw, ammonia, carpet cleaner, Febreeze odor eliminator, latex gloves and 55-gallon drum liners.
An arrest warrant for Pitonyak shows Cave had just met him, and they had dinner on Tuesday evening. Cave’s friend told police he spoke to her after midnight that night. He said she told him Pitonyak was upset over losing a cell phone, and he tried to break into a car. Cave's friend was the last person to speak with her by phone, police said.
Those who know him were surprised at the accusations against Pitonyak.
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Murder
Colton Pitonyak was arrested in connection with the murder of Jennifer Cave.
 
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Pitonyak went to Little Rock Catholic High School. Officials there remember him as a bright student. A former teacher said he never showed signs of problems.
"I never would've pictured that in any way shape or form. He was just a growing teenager, lots of potential, never a problem,” teacher Rev. Lawrence Frederick said.
He was a boy who paid attention to his studies, had good work ethic and seemed ambitious,” former principal Steve Straessle said.
Police tracked Pitonyak to Mexico by his cell phone usage.
"This just blew my mind. The mother was out here and just hysterical. It was really hard to watch,” neighbor Jeff Chen said.
