A MAN who secretly lived in a wardrobe at the home of his married lover for a month was charged yesterday with murdering her husband after his snoring gave him away.

In a case that Nashville police admit is one of the most unusual they have encountered, Rafael DeJesus Rocha-Perez was charged with criminal homicide in the beating to death of Jeffrey Freeman, the husband who discovered his wife’s lover asleep in a large closet.

Don Aaron, the Nashville police spokesman, said: “From time to time, you come across a case with very unique, even bizarre, circumstances. This one probably rates right up there with them.”

Police said that Martha Freeman, 40, allowed Mr Rocha-Perez to live in a wardrobe in their four-bedroom home for about a month without her husband’s knowledge. Mr Freeman discovered Mr Rocha-Perez late on Sunday when he came home and heard him snoring.

The authorities said that Mr Freeman ordered his wife to get Mr Rocha-Perez out of the house while he went for a walk.

Mrs Freeman told police that when her husband returned, Mr Rocha-Perez confronted him with a shotgun, forced him into a bathroom and beat him severely.

A post-mortem investigation was under way last night, but investigators said that Mr Freeman had sustained significant head injuries. His body was found on Monday after his wife asked a neighbour to call the emergency services.

Police arrested Mr Rocha- Perez a short time later after a witness told officers that she had seen a man run into a nearby home that was under construction. Mr Rocha-Perez was in jail last night with bail set at $500,000 (£264,000).

Mr Aaron said that the man had refused to answer investigators’ questions. Raegene Beverley, the neighbour who made the emergency call, described Mrs Freeman as a friend but declined to talk about the crime.

“What she confided to me at my home about the incident, I’ve chosen not to talk about it,” she said. “If a serial killer was on the loose, I would share as much as I know. But the police department seems to be handling things well.”

The Freemans were joint owners of ResiFax Inc, a company that carries out background checks for flat rental and job applicants. Tara Cantrell, the office manager, said: “It’s a very tragic event. We’re very upset. He was a wonderful man to work for.”

Mr Aaron said that Mrs Freeman was considered a witness to the murder.

“We still have questions that need answers,” he said. “We’re going to continue to work with Mrs Freeman to fill in all of the blanks.”

Times Recommends

• Both sides blame US for worsening relations
• Stieg Larsson: losing the plot over his cash
• Odd creature paralysed by incompatible parts