Graphic details from scene which 'reeked of decaying flesh' after wife 'incinerated by her estranged husband'
Olivia Shea
Published Sep 06, 2026
A BODYBUILDER has been charged with the murder of his estranged wife after cops reported finding a horror scene which "reeked of decaying flesh".
Ian Christopher Baunach, 43, plead not guilty to killing Katie Baunach, 39, in a hearing in Tampa, Florida, this week, TMZ reports.
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He is said to have killed Katie - the mother of his two children - after she came to retrieve some personal items from his home in LaBelle at the end of September.
A criminal complaint obtained by The Daily Beast reads: "This was the last time Katie Baunach was seen alive."
Graphic details from scene reveal cops found “signs of a physical struggle” and "the fragment of a human mandible with an intact tooth in a fresh burn pile."
It "reeked of decaying flesh”, according to the court document.
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The complaint adds: "Inside the blue fifty-gallon barrel, law enforcement discovered an additional human bone fragment.
"Law enforcement discovered other suspected human bone fragments in the area surrounding the burn pile."
The trunk of the suspect's truck and part of his home are said to have "glowed blue" when covered with the chemical luminol, indicating the presence of blood.
Cops also described how Katie's car was still on Ian's driveway when they arrived at the home but there was no sign of the mom-of-two.
Her vehicle had been moved to the street when they returned later, officers added.
Cops say they also found her engagement and wedding rings in a safe at his home. A number of guns were also found at the property, according to the complaint.
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Former Marine Ian - facing charges including first-degree murder - claims his ex wife had left the house by the time he woke up the next day.
The complaint adds: "When asked about the blood found inside the Premises, Baunach stated that he did not believe the officers."
Katie had already obtained a restraining order against her ex, according to reports.
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