A medical examiner’s office has ruled a Gwinnett County mother found dead in a plastic bag behind her husband’s workplace did not die of a broken neck, despite her spouse’s claims, a detective testified Tuesday.

Detective Anthony Rodriguez said Fernando Guzman-Perez told him his wife, Yamilet Rodriquez, fell backward down stairs as the two argued, Channel 2 Action News reported.

“He said he could hear something snap,” the detective said.

The medical examiner’s office, however, said the woman had no broken bones, no broken neck and nothing consistent with injuries sustained in a fall, Channel 2 reported.

There was evidence, however, that Rodriquez had been smothered to death, the detective said.

Rodriquez’s body was found bound Oct. 15 in an orange garbage bag behind an Express Oil Change where Guzman-Perez worked.

The manager of the Lawrenceville business on Pike Street called police after noticing a peculiar smell in the area.

Investigators believe Guzman-Perez killed his wife and then dumped her body behind the business. He has admitted to placing his wife’s body, which was bound with clear plastic tape, behind his workplace but told police he did so because he panicked.

Guzman-Perez was denied bond at Tuesday’s hearing.

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