Syracuse police charged Brian T. Shaw, 23, a Syracuse University senior enrolled through University College, with second-degree murder Thursday in connection with the death of Chiarra Seals, 23, the mother of his 4-year-old daughter.

Syracuse police were called to Seals’ home at 160 Jasper St. after a neighbor noticed a suspicious vehicle parked in the driveway, said Syracuse Deputy Police Chief Gary Miguel. Police entered the home and found Seals’ 17-month-old and 4-year-old children alone in the house, Miguel said.

The 4-year-old girl told police her ‘daddy,’ whom she referred to as Brian, had come to the house and had a physical fight with Seals in Seals’ bedroom, Miguel said. The 4-year-old said that the man later exited the bedroom carrying Seals in a bed sheet, Miguel said.

Thomas Seals offers a different account of the early events that lead to police arrival on the scene.

Thomas Seals, who is Chiarra Seals’ great-uncle and the Syracuse common councilor for the university and downtown area, said he was leaving his home Wednesday night around 7:30 p.m. when he received a phone call from Chiarra Seals’ aunt saying she was missing.

A tenant who lives in the apartment upstairs from Chiarra Seals came home to find the rear door leading to a common hallway open, which Thomas Seals said the tenant found unusual. He said the door appeared to be forced open and that the tenant called the building’s landlord.

Thomas Seals said the landlord arrived and saw that Chiarra Seals was not home and that her two children were alone at the residence. The landlord then called the police, he said.

Sgt. Tom Connellan of the Syracuse police said both children are safe in the custody of the victim’s family. Thomas Seals said they are staying with Chiarra Seals’ paternal grandmother.

Police found Seals’ cell phone with Shaw’s name in the contacts list in Seals’ home. They also found a photograph in Seals’ home with a caption saying it was taken by an SU student. Police called the student, who said he was a friend of Shaw.

Syracuse police tried to track down Shaw, but he had already contacted police by that time after the friend who took the photograph told him police were looking for him, Miguel said.

Shaw was brought into the police station, where he admitted to being at Seals’ residence Wednesday evening but initially denied having a fight with her, Miguel said. After further interrogation, Shaw offered an oral confession to police that he killed Seals, Miguel said.

Shaw told police that he went to Seals’ house Wednesday night and had a fight with her, Miguel said. Shaw did not say how she died, but he said when he left Seals’ house with her body she was unconscious, Miguel said.

Miguel said Shaw told police he brought Seals’ body back to his residence at 545 Columbus Ave. and left it in his garage while he went inside and grabbed a suitcase. Shaw then stuffed Seals’ body in the suitcase and brought it to 112 Avondale Place, where he hid it behind the residence’s garage, Miguel said.

Syracuse police checked behind the garage at 112 Avondale Place Thursday morning and found the body where Shaw described it to be. Seals’ body is currently undergoing an autopsy.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said that following the autopsy, Shaw’s charge could be raised to first-degree murder if any evidence of sexual assault is found.

Shaw faces a sentence of 25 years to life if he is convicted of second-degree murder or life without parole if he is charged with and convicted of first-degree murder, Fitzpatrick said.

Shaw will be arraigned Friday on the charge of second-degree murder.

Miguel said that Shaw’s home at 545 Columbus Ave., Seals’ home at 160 Jasper St. and the location where the body was dumped at 112 Avondale Place are all considered crime scenes at this time.

Marlene Hall, Director of Public Safety for SU, said this is the only case she is aware of in which an SU student was charged with such a crime.

‘This is a very difficult day for everyone involved,’ Hall said.