23-year old Bashid McLean was held without bail following his Bronx court appearance Thursday.
The criminal complaint says he stabbed Tanya Byrd and then dissected her body with help from another man.
McLean is charged with hindering prosecution, unlawful dissection of a human body.
"There's psychiatric issues," said McLean's attorney, Jerry Iannece. "When you have allegations like this, until we fully investigate this, we assume, and my conversations lead me to believe this is fully accurate, that he was lacking the appropriate psychotropic drugs that he should be taking."
A resident walking his dog came across the remains early Tuesday. Police say they were stuffed in four bags and scattered along four blocks.
The second suspect, 26-year old William Harris, is awaiting arraignment on charges of hindering prosecution, unlawful dissection of human body, unlawful possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of marijuana.
Sources tell Eyewitness News the suspects are telling the investigators two different stories.
More evidence was removed from Byrd's apartment Wednesday.
Sources say that McLean insists Harris fataly stabbed his mother and threatened to kill him and his 6-year-old brother if he didn't help cut up her body.
Harris puts the blame on McLean.
Either way, sources say both men are captured on video carrying bags and suitcases out of the elevator, and out of the building.
Sources tell Eyewitness News that both men admit to detectives that they went to a Bronx hardware store to get tools to cut up the body. They included a power saw and plastic drop clothes. An empty box for the power saw was found in the apartment.
It appears someone tried to clean up bloodstains in the apartment with bleach to cover up the fact that anything happened in the apartment.
The victim was 45-year-old Tanya Byrd, a home health aide who was last seen Monday. Her remains were stuffed in four bags and scattered along four blocks, police said.
The first bag was discovered in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx at about 5 a.m., when the dog started sniffing at some trash along Eagle Avenue. Among the pile of trash was a duffel bag containing a plastic bag with a bloodied leg inside.
When police arrived, they found three other bags with remains on surrounding blocks. One contained a leg and an arm. In another, a portion of a torso with shoulders. In the third, a head.
"She was a sweetheart," said Elizabeth Cruz, the victim's friend. "Great mother, and it's crazy because this is just hitting home."
A witness told police that a person in a vehicle dropped the bags in a pile of other garbage bags. That vehicle, reported to be a silver SUV, then fled the scene.
"I think it's crazy. It shouldn't be happening around here, especially where kids go to school," said Jessica Sanchez, a parent.
Sources say Byrd was dismembered inside her apartment.
According to the sources the shower curtain is also missing.
Byrd was the mother of three and her youngest son has Down's Syndrome.
---
