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Nov 13, 2009 4:55 pm US/Central
Man Charged With Wife's Murder Bonds Out Of Jail
DENTON COUNTY (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
The husband of a missing Denton County teacher bonded out of jail Friday, just one day after being charged with her murder.
Katherine Stobaugh vanished a few days after Christmas 2004. She wanted a divorce from her husband, Charles, and was last seen while meeting with him at his ranch.
Denton County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Roger Griggs says a grand jury indicted Charles Stobaugh for murder on Thursday.
Charles Stobaugh bonded out of jail Friday morning.
A few hours later, we found him driving his tractor on his Denton County property. He wouldn't talk to us. But his daughter Charee said the family was surprised by the indictment. She says her family just wants closure in the case.
Although Katherine Stobaugh's body has never been found, the Denton County DA's office says the grand jury found enough evidence to charge her husband with murder. The move does come with risk, they say.
"There is a gamble," said Denton County prosecutor Jamie Beck. "If we go to trial without finding the remains or the body – and for whatever reason there is a not guilty verdict – then double jeopardy has attached and he can go confess to the world, and we can't go do a thing about it."
Back in 2004, Charles did not report his wife's disappearance for five days, police say. Investigators searched his ranch and talked to him, but found nothing. At the time, Denton County Sheriff's Department spokesman Tom Reedy said, "Mr. Stobaugh's answers to questions were inconsistent, evasive, and some of them were untruthful."
Reedy added, "We believe that Mrs. Stobaugh has fallen victim to foul play, whether by Mr. Stobaugh's hand or someone else, we don't know but we believe Mr. Stobaugh does know."
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