Lower bond for major jailed in wife’s death

A judge here agreed Monday to reduce by two-thirds the $2.3 million bail under which an Air Force Reserve major has been held for more than a year and a half, accused of killing his wife and hiding the evidence.

Andre Sean Mcdonald was 40 when he was arrested in the death of his wife, Andreen Mcdonald, 29, a fitness enthusiast and owner of a successful company. She was last seen alive on Feb. 28, 2019. Andre Mcdonald later told investigators he and his wife argued that night but has denied the charges.

Hundreds of volunteers searched extensively for Andreen

Mcdonald in various locations in north Bexar County for weeks. Her remains were found in July 2019 on a ranch in the 600 block of Specht Road, east of Camp Bullis and just 6 miles from the couple’s home.

Andre Mcdonald was indicted in October 2019 on a murder charge and five counts of tampering with evidence.

On Monday, his attorney John Convery successfully argued to have the $2 million bail on the murder charge reduced to $450,000. The $300,000 amount on the tampering charge remains, for a total of $750,000.

Under state District Judge Frank Castro’s orders, if Mcdonald posts bond, which his attorney said is unlikely, he must surrender his passport, is to remain on GPS monitoring and would only be allowed to leave home to go to work.

“We appreciate that the judge lowered the bond, but we feel it is still excessively high,” Convery said.

Mcdonald, 42, faces up to life in prison on the murder charge and up to 10 years on each of the tampering charges, a third-degree felony.

Reports indicate the couple’s marriage was troubled. Law enforcement had responded to domestic disturbance calls at their home in the 1000 block of Solitude Cove in the Summit at Canyon Springs neighborhood in north Bexar County.

Andre Mcdonald filed for divorce in February 2017, but the petition was dismissed several months later, according to court records. The couple had a young daughter who was 8 when her mother disappeared.