North Texas man told ex-wife not to mess with money ‘or you’re dead,’ affidavit says
A manhunt continued Thursday for a suspected killer who had told his ex-wife, “Don’t you (expletive) with my money or you’re dead,” according to court records and Keller police.
The ex-wife, who Keller police identified as Teresa Anne Salyer, 58, was found shot to death Tuesday at her home on Manchester Court in Keller.
Her former husband, Mark Stanush, 59, is accused of killing her, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest on suspicion of murder. He was last seen driving a black 2019 Toyota Tundra with license plate MSJ 3207.
Officials with the U.S. Marshals Service are leading the search for Stanush.
Stanush had been awaiting trial on a 2019 assault charge where Salyer was the alleged victim in Keller, according to Tarrant County criminal court records.
Stanush and Salyer were married on March 10, 2018, and ceased living together on Aug. 18, 2019, the date of the alleged assault at their Keller home, court divorce records stated. They had no children.
On Aug. 22, 2019, Salyer filed an affidavit in their divorce proceeding, providing the court with a narrative of the alleged assault.
The account written by Salyer included these details:
On Aug. 18, 2019, Stanush had been drinking beer all day and then drank two bottles of port wine in the evening. Salyer cooked dinner and asked her husband to eat.
Stanush began arguing with her, cursed at her and then told her they were taking “this (expletive) outside.”
Salyer said she tried to yell for help because Stanush’s adult son was in the house.
Once outside, Stanush grabbed Salyer around her throat, pushed her up against her truck and crammed his hand in her crotch, according to the affidavit.
Salyer hit Stanush, but he threw her to the ground and choked her at least twice, she wrote.
He pounded his knee into her chest, fracturing a rib.
Salyer managed to get away from Stanush and called Keller police. She was taken to a local hospital for treatment of blunt-force trauma, according to the affidavit.
Salyer noted in the affidavit that her husband drank heavily and had assaulted her in the past.
Stanush had told her multiple times, “I’ve killed before, I’ll kill again,” and “I’m going to put a hit on you,” according to the affidavit.
Salyer said Stanush’s previous wife had him arrested for family violence, and she later died from head trauma, according to the affidavit. Further information on Stanush’s previous wife was not available Thursday.
Before the shooting on Tuesday, Stanush had been living in Argyle, according to court records.
Keller police responded to a shots-fired call on Tuesday in an area near a pond behind Driscoll Place and the 500 block of Manchester Court.
Salyer was found shot to death at her home.
Keller police said Stanush may still be armed and he should not be approached by residents.
Anyone with information should call Keller Detective Jordan Potter at 817-743-4536.
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 11:40 AM.
