TYLERTOWN – A Jayess woman missing since the weekend was founddead Thursday morning in a freezer in her home, and her live-inboyfriend has been taken into custody, officials said Friday.

Walthall County Coroner Shannon Hartzog said Darlene Berthelot,52, appeared to be dead of what could have been a shotgun blastafter being missing for at least a few days.

“She hadn’t been seen since the weekend,” he said.

Robert Wayne Silvia, 56, is currently being held at the WalthallCounty Jail, and officials said he could be charged with murder atsome point Friday.

“He has not been formally charged, but he is in custody, andwe’re still investigating and talking to different people beforeany charges are filed,” said Walthall County Sheriff Duane Dillon.”He is a suspect, and I look for this person to be charged, butit’s premature to say he will be because we’ve not yet completedthis investigation.”

The victim and the suspect lived together at 44 Willie CothernRoad in Jayess, authorities said. The investigation into whenBerthelot was killed and why she was in the freezer is ongoing, hesaid.

“We’re trying to determine that. In speaking with witnesses thatremember seeing her, maybe after having interviewed some more ofthem in a little more detail, we’ll know more,” he said. “Yesterdaywas kinda sketchy. Mostly we want to talk to (Silvia) and see whatwe can find out.”

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Public Affairs Officer RustyBoyd said Berthelot’s family members had called the sheriff’sdepartment, worried because they hadn’t heard from her.

Berthelot’s body has been sent to the Mississippi State CrimeLab for positive identification and autopsy, he said.

The coroner was called to the scene at 11:40 a.m. Thursday,Hartzog said, at which point he pronounced Berthelot dead. He saidofficials are awaiting autopsy results to tell when she waskilled.

“We’re hoping we’re going to get that from them,” he said.

Boyd said authorities from several agencies were on the lookoutfor Silvia after he fled in a red Ford Aspire, and that he waspicked up sometime Thursday afternoon.

“He was apprehended in the area,” Dillon said. “Obviously, wejust wanted to talk to him.”

The Walthall County Sheriff’s Department is heading theinvestigation, and MHP’s crime scene unit is assisting with thehomicide investigation.