PLANO, Texas — Authorities in Collin County have charged 37-year-old Jake Bigoni with murder following the discovery of his estranged wife, Eliana Bigoni, inside a vehicle trunk at a Plano apartment garage. The investigation began the morning of August 12, 2026, when Plano Police officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 4700 block of Charles Place around 10:30 a.m. for a welfare check after Eliana failed to meet a friend for breakfast or retrieve the couple's two young children, ages 2 and 5.
Arrest Affidavit Details Timeline and Initial Police Response
According to court affidavits filed by Plano Police, the couple were separated and actively going through divorce proceedings with prior reports of domestic safety concerns. Approximately 30 minutes prior to police arrival, Jake’s mother contacted emergency dispatchers stating her son had called her indicating Eliana was dead following an altercation. When officers arrived at the residence, Jake answered the door wearing a blood-stained shirt, which he initially claimed was a cleaning solution. A subsequent search of the garage revealed Eliana’s body inside the trunk of a white Hyundai, displaying severe injuries to her head and face.
Suspect Held Without Bond in Collin County Jail as Investigation Continues
The couple's two young children were found unharmed inside the apartment unit and were safely removed by Child Protective Services as forensic investigators processed the scene. Jake Bigoni was initially taken into custody on a felony charge of abuse of a corpse before detectives obtained a murder warrant on August 13. He remains held without bond at the Collin County Jail while the Collin County Medical Examiner conducts formal autopsy findings to confirm the official cause of death.
