ID MICHAEL VAUGHAN: Missing from Fruitland, ID - 27 July 2021 - Age 5 *ARREST* (1 Viewer)

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:

Court OKs moving out preliminary hearings to March for defendant in case of missing boy

PAYETTE — A man accused in the disappearance and death of Fruitland boy Michael Vaughan will not be in court until March. According to court minutes from a status conference

www.argusobserver.com

Court OKs moving out preliminary hearings to March for defendant in case of missing boy​

A man accused in the disappearance and death of Fruitland boy Michael Vaughan will not be in court until March. According to court minutes from a status conference for defendant Stacy Wondra on Dec. 11, preliminary hearings for Dec. 15-16 were vacated and rescheduled “due to the large amount of discovery.”

Wondra’s attorney, Amy Smith, public defender, requested the preliminary hearings be pushed out to early March. All parties agreed that should work and that two days should be sufficient.

“Ms. Smith agrees with the state’s assessment that their questioning will last for two days and the defense will take an additional two and they will also need to factor in whether they would want to put their own evidence to challenge probable cause,” read the minutes.


The next status conference will be at 11 a.m. March 2, followed by preliminary hearings from March 3 to March 6 at 9 a.m. each day in front of Judge Brian D. Lee.

Click to expand...

Good. I'm so sick of delays. Making the families go through that.

Mel70 said:

Good. I'm so sick of delays. Making the families go through that.

Click to expand...

Well pushed/moved out is a delay but compared to some cases, he has not been under charge for this for a long time so there haven't been a lot of delays yet. If I recall it right.

The man accused of killing Michael "Monkey" Vaughan set to appear in court​

---

by CBS2 News Staff

Sun, March 1, 2026

Stacey Wondra will be in court on Monday for a status update hearing. Preliminary hearings are scheduled to run from Tuesday through Thursday. Idahonews.com will be reporting live from the courthouse.

noZme said:

The man accused of killing Michael "Monkey" Vaughan set to appear in court​

---

by CBS2 News Staff

Sun, March 1, 2026

Stacey Wondra will be in court on Monday for a status update hearing. Preliminary hearings are scheduled to run from Tuesday through Thursday. Idahonews.com will be reporting live from the courthouse.

Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing! Will definitely be looking for updates this week.

Man accused of kidnapping Michael Vaughan appears in court ahead of preliminary hearing​

The man accused of kidnapping and killing 5-year-old Michael Vaughan in 2021 appeared in court on Monday morning for a status conference.

Wondra’s status conference lasted less than 10 minutes and was mostly procedural. Notably, the judge confirmed with the defense and prosecution that they were ready to move forward with the preliminary hearing, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.

Michael’s mother Brandi sat in the front row of the courtroom, surrounded by some friends. Wondra walked in wearing dress clothes and shackles and sat at the defense table with three other people. Payette County Prosecutor Michael Duke sat alone at the prosecution table.

Duke told the judge that there is so much discovery in this case so it is still ongoing. He noted that he and the defense team have been in consistent communication but the defense has not received everything yet.


Wondra’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to last the entire week, but it remains to be seen if it will take that long.

This preliminary hearing will effectively act as a mini-trial in which the prosecution will argue that there is probable cause to move these charges along to district court and go to trial. There won’t be a jury or finding of guilt but the prosecution has the ability to call witnesses and, according to an Idaho Courts spokesperson, the defense can challenge the prosecution’s presentation by cross-examining witnesses and introducing its own evidence.

Live updates here today.

LIVE UPDATES: Man charged with murdering 5-year-old Michael Vaughan appears in Payette County court​

Nearly five years after 5-year-old Michael “Monkey” Vaughan disappeared from outside his Fruitland home in July 2021, the man charged with kidnapping and killing him, Stacey Wondra, is back in a Payette County courtroom Tuesday as preliminary hearings get underway.

Court began at 9:00 a.m. in a Payette County Courtroom. Stacey Wondra appeared wearing civilian clothing and shackles.

9:00 A.M. COURT PROCEEDINGS GET UNDERWAY

The prosecution began their arguments by laying out the probable cause they say would prove Wondra committed murder and then destroyed evidence to obstruct the investigation.

The state argued that Stacey Wondra confessed to law enforcement, telling police Michael Vaughan was abducted and taken to his Fruitland home in July 2021, before being put in a duffle bag and taken to another location in Kuna. Prosecutors say Wondra saw Vaughan buried in his backyard, but the boy's body was never located.

At the time in 2022, law enforcement shared their theory that Vaughan was buried at the Wondra home then later moved to a new location. His body has never been recovered.

The defense offered short opening remarks, stating "our client confesses to nothing."

9:10 A.M. TYLER VAUGHAN ON THE STAND

The state called Michael's father, Tyler Vaughan, to the stand.

As we've previously reported, Tyler Vaughan is the person who noticed Michael was missing on the evening of July 27, 2021, and called 911.

Vaughan told prosecutors at the time of Michael's disappearance he was not familiar with the Wondras or anyone in their home, which is about a half mile away from the Vaughan's family home in Fruitland.

Vaughan laid out what was happening at the family's home the day Michael went missing: His wife, Brandi, was at work. He had the day off and was home with the family's children.

Tyler recalled spending time playing monster trucks with Michael that day. He testified that he saw Michael playing in the family's living room when he went to wake up their then-two-year-old around 6:15 p.m. "She can be hard to wake up," he explained, so it took a few minutes. He then changed her diaper, ordered pizza for dinner, and then realized Michael wasn't in the home around 7:00 p.m.

He looked all over the house and called Brandi Vaughan, who thought maybe Michael was hiding. After he was unable to locate Michael quickly, he says he called police around 7:20 p.m.

9:30 A.M. TYLER VAUGHAN ON THE STAND

The defense team questioned Tyler's use of marijuana at the time of Michael's disappearance. Tyler said he usually smoked a couple of joints a day outside their home. Tyler testified that he smoked a joint between the time he woke up their sleeping toddler and when he noticed Michael was missing.

Tyler told the defense that once police arrived at their Fruitland home that night, he and Brandi stayed in close proximity to the home, searching for Michael in the neighborhood.

Tyler Vaughan was dismissed from the witness stand at 9:40 a.m.

From link above:

9:40 A.M. BRANDI VAUGHAN ON THE STAND

Michael's mother, Brandi Vaughan was called to the stand. She appeared in a blue and black shirt and dyed blue hair, which she's told Idaho News 6 is Michael's favorite color. Many in the courtroom are also wearing blue ribbons in Michael's memory.

While Brandi began her testimony, members in the courtroom gallery were visibly emotional, wiping tears.

Brandi recalled the July day Michael went missing. She was working at Albertsons when she received a phone call from her husband, Tyler, who could not find Michael. She told him to look under their bed in his favorite hiding spot, but Michael wasn't there.

Brandi testified that she immediately left work and called her older daughter on her way home instructing her to get home right away to help look for Michael.

Brandi appeared visibly emotional when prosecutors asked her if she ever located Michael or saw him again. "No," Vaughan stated sadly while grabbing a tissue.

Brandi told prosecutors she gave police several items to assist in the investigation that may include Michael's scent or DNA, including a shoe, his pillow, his favorite blanket, and a stuffed animal.

9:55 A.M. BRANDI VAUGHAN STILL ON THE STAND

Brandi Vaughan told prosecutors at the time of her son's disappearance she had never seen or heard of Stacey and Sarah Wondra who lived a half mile from their home.

For context, Stacey Wondra is the only person currently charged in the death of Michael Vaughan, although Fruitland Police publicly named four people as suspects in the case in 2022, including Stacey's then-wife, Sarah. Sarah Wondra was arrested in 2022 and charged with failing to report Michael's death, but she was later released when prosecutors dropped those charges. Michael's body was never found during an extensive search of the Wondra's home and backyard.

Brandi told the defense it was a typical day at work. She spoke with her family, including Michael, during her lunch break around 4:00 p.m.

The defense asked Brandi if it was typical for Tyler to smoke marijuana while watching their children. "Yes," Brandi stated.

Brandi says during her immediate search of the neighborhood she spoke with two women who were near the splash pad nearby. They told her they had not seen a little blonde boy at all, so she left.

10:10 A.M. BRANDI VAUGHAN STILL ON THE STAND

The defense questioned Brandi Vaughan about Michael's footwear. They noticed Michael's new pair of flip flops was missing. Brandi said he'd only had them for three days and recalled how he would mix them up and put the shoes on the wrong feet, likely making it difficult for him to travel very far or fast.

Although there was marijuana at the property, Brandi told the defense it was never in reach of children and was kept hidden away.

Brandi recalled law enforcement collecting items like Michael's toothbrush, and taking DNA samples from every family member, including all of Michael's siblings.

Brandi said Tyler didn't drink alcohol often, and said it never concerned her that he smoked marijuana.

Brandi Vaughan was dismissed from the stand at 10:17 a.m. but may be called to the stand again.

Court will take a brief recess.

What would smoking mj do with it? It's legal and people do it all the time. Are they saying Michael could have been missing for a longer period of time?

Kimster said:

What would smoking mj do with it? It's legal and people do it all the time. Are they saying Michael could have been missing for a longer period of time?

Click to expand...

Sounds to me like they're just trying to shift blame to Michael's family again. I think the timeline is extremely well established.

10:33 A.M. DUSTIN WITT ON THE STAND

The prosecution called Dustin Witt to the stand, who at the time of Michael Vaughan's disappearance worked in law enforcement in California. Witt has experience with SWAT and K-9 investigations and testified that the FBI requested his assistance in the Michael Vaughan case.

Witt and his K-9 were brought to Fruitland to do assist efforts to locate Michael Vaughan in 2021. Witt testified his bloodhound is trained to follow a scent. Police used items collected from the family to allow the dog to smell Michael's scent.

Witt testified his certified bloodhound lead officers to a location near Redwing Street, which is about a half mile from the Vaughan's family home.

[10:45 a.m.] Witt says the K-9 was "on trail" and cut across a frontyard to lead detectives to a house on the corner or Meadowlark and Redwing, where we've previously reported Stacey and Sarah Wondra lived at the time.

Witt testified that his K-9 showed interest in the corner of the property near the fence to the backyard. He lead the dog away from the home and took her off the leash, when he says the dog turned back around and went directly back to the fenceline.

Past that home, the dog "did not have trailing behavior."

On another search, the K-9 also appeared to "show good trailing behavior" along 8th Street, at a bluff nearby, down a dirt road, and lead officers to an area of thick vegetation, where Witt says he stopped the dog from entering the thorny brush.

10:57 A.M. DUSTIN WITT CROSS EXAMINATION

The defense team is questioning Dustin Witt, who was flown to Fruitland by the FBI with his K-9 to assist in the investigation of missing boy Michael Vaughan.

Witt explained how scent training works and how his K-9 was selected from a breeder on the east coast. The dogs begin trail training around eight weeks old and are ready for a handler around one year old.

The defense questioned Witt about what types of items typically do or do not obtain a strong scent trail. Witt says any personal items like clothing or jewelry could work for a strong scent trail, but he'd typically avoid an item from a shared space like a piece of clothing lying in the living room that may have multiple people's scent on it. He would also not use an item that's just been washed.

11:15 A.M. DUSTIN WITT CROSS EXAMINATION

Dustin Witt told the defense they used Michael Vaughan's shoe and pillow to allow his certified K-9 to track a scent trail through the neighborhood.

The defense asked if the dog's ability to follow a scent would be impacted by traveling on a plane. Witt says that's not an issue at all and is part of their training, even taking the K-9 on a helicopter in the past. Witt says K-9s undergo a week-long training and testing every year to remain certified. This particular K-9 has worked with his department for seven years.

Witt explain a testing scenario where dogs are taken through downtown Los Angeles. He says the K-9 used in the Michael Vaughan case has a 100% pass rate for all bloodhound certification testings.

Upon arrival in Idaho, Witt says he and his K-9 went straight to the police department and "went to work".

Witt says they went to several locations near the Vaughan family home, including a home where deer antlers were out in the frontyard. Witt says he had to "correct" the K-9's behavior and tell her to "get back to work". He said the dog had never seen antlers before, but quickly went back to her trail upon his correction.

[11:30] After the deer antlers, Witt says the K-9 picked up a trail and lead him to an intersection, across a street, and down 8th street toward a bluff.

Witt testified the K-9 lead officers to a corner house, based of the scent used from Michael Vaughan's shoe. The dog also lead him to an area of thorny vegetation, but he held the dog back from entering. Additional search crews came at that time.

The defense's questioning lead Witt to agree it is possible for the dog to follow the trail of items that were possibly worn by another person, or in the same house as Michael Vaughan.

11:40 A.M. DUSTIN WITT ON THE STAND

The prosecution showed Witt photographs of a home.

Witt says he recognizes the house in the photographs as the home where his K-9 showed interest along the fence line and garage area. The dog alerted to the gate between two homes that led to a backyard. The photograph was entered into evidence.

Witt was excused at 11:48 a.m. The court is in recess for lunch.

Kimster said:

What would smoking mj do with it? It's legal and people do it all the time. Are they saying Michael could have been missing for a longer period of time?

Click to expand...

Spaghetti - wall.

1:10 P.M. JULIE GIBSON ON THE STAND

Julie Gibson was called to the stand. She has expertise in handling and training cadaver dogs with the goal of locating human remains. Gibson was called to assist the in the Michael Vaughan case when investigators searched the Wondras Fruitland home and backyard in November 2022.

When Gibson arrived, much of the backyard was already excavated as crews searched for Michael Vaughan's remains. She emphasized her dog, Yodi, who was on scene during the Fruitland investigation "does not false alert."

Gibson testified her cadaver dog alerted at a location near the home's irrigation box, which was below the kitchen windows in the backyard. She testified that its possible for a scent to travel through pipes in the ground and to an area like an irrigation box that can hold a scent. Once the equipment was removed, the animal no longer alerted to the area.

Gibson testified that she's undergone training that assist in situations where bodies have been buried and later moved.

She says the conditions that day were cool and damp, which she described as "good" conditions for cadaver dogs to work in.

1:35 P.M. JULIE GIBSON CROSS EXAMINATION

Gibson explains her Jack Russell Terrier, Yodi, was younger than two years old at the time she was deployed at the Wondra home. Yodi is trained to detect human remains, including historical cases in which bodies were buried in the 1800's.

Gibson said the yard was dug up to a depth deeper than she was tall, except for a narrow perimeter around the fence line.

"The dog will alert to residual scent, and I believe that's what happened that day," Gibson testified.

2:00 P.M. DEBRA HURLBURT, K9 HANDLER

Debra Hurlburt was called to the stand. She has been training K-9s since 2002 and instructs K-9 handlers how to properly handle their dogs.

Hurlburt was asked about her now-retired dog, Bannock, who she says never had a false alert or a missed scent in a test environment.

Bannock was deployed in November 2022 to assist Fruitland Police in a search of the exterior of the Wondra property on Redwing Street. The yard was already excavated when Hurlburt and Bannock arrived.

"[Bannock] very much pulled me to that property," Hurlburt said. "He didn't know what property we were searching," she testified, leading her to believe he was following the scent of human remains.

Hurlburt said Bannock was "very much hunting the source" of the scent of human remains, but he was never able to pinpoint the exact location.

After leading the dog away from the area, he continued to bring her back to the same general location in the backyard.

2:20 P.M. DEBRA HURLBURT CROSS EXAMINATION

The defense questioned K-9 handler Debra Hurblurt. Her K-9, Bannock, was her ninth German Shepherd. She was called to assist with the investigation through her certification with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She also works with Idaho Search and Rescue Dogs.

The court will take a brief recess.

3:00 P.M. BRYCE CRIMIN ON THE STAND

Bryce Crimin is a deputy with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, but previously worked as a corrections officer who worked with inmates, including Stacey Wondra.

Crimin testified that Wondra was placed on suicide watch while incarcerated on unrelated charges. He received word that Wondra was going to attempt to send the Vaughan family a letter around Thanksgiving.

While searching Wondra's property, Crimin says he located a letter that appeared to be "a work in progress" and was addressed "to the Vaughan family".

Michael's mother, Brandi, became visibly emotional in the courtroom during this testimony.

Crimin looked at the letter in court, which he testified was signed by Stacey Wondra.

3:10 P.M. BRYCE CRIMIN CROSS EXAMINATION

Crimin clarifies he received an email from a lieutenant who informed him Wondra may be attempting to send a letter to the Vaughan family around Thanksgiving. He testified he was instructed to intercept the letter, but wasn't explicitly assigned to go through Wondra's belongings.

Crimin said it was regular practice to search through inmates' belongings while in custody.

Crimin's father also worked as a detective with the Fruitland Police Department at the time.

Crimin says he took a copy of Wondra's letter and sent it to his father at the Fruitland Police Department, and returned the letter to Wondra's belongings. "I wanted to see if he would finish it," Crimin said.

Crimin testified that he was tasked with coordinating a FaceTime call with Stacey Wondra, while in Washington County custody, and investigators in Fruitland on November 12, 2022.

3:25 P.M. CARSON STARKEY ON THE STAND

The state called Carson Starkey to the stand. He lived on Redwing Street, next to the Wondras in 2021 but didn't interact with them often.

Prosecutors asked Starkey about a large-wheel tricycle that Starkey has seen on the Wondra's property, behind the gate that separates the two homes.

"That's the big-wheel I saw inside that gate," Starkey said confidently when shown a photograph.

Starkey says he saw the bike on Wondra's property a few days after Michael Vaughan went missing, and never saw it before that.

3:30 P.M. CARSON STARKEY CROSS EXAMINATION

Starkey lived next to the Wondras for about a year. The Wondras asked Starkey to assist with auto work a handful of times over the year.

"I fixed a hole in their wall one time," Starkey recalled.

Starkey was dismissed at 3:35 p.m.

The court will take a brief recess.

Last updates for today.

3:55 P.M. CAPT. JASON HORST, IDAHO STATE POLICE

The state calls Captain Jason Horst with Idaho State Police to the stand, who was a detective sergeant in August 2021.

Horst was asked to assist with the Michael Vaughan case.

Prosecutors showed Horst a photograph of a pink and white tricycle that Horst says he found in the Fruitland neighborhood behind a large stone sign near a tree.

Horst said they'd been out to the area previously, but didn't see the big wheel tricycle until a search on August 5th. It stuck out to him because the location was not a place that a child would naturally leave a toy. It was then photographed and retained for evidence in the case where it remains to this day.

4:00 P.M. CAPT. JASON HORST CROSS EXAMINATION

Horst clarifies the location where he located the tricycle, describing it as the neighborhood entrance at the end of 8th Street in Fruitland where the road turns to gravel.

The tricycle was not easily visible from the street, only if someone looked at an angle to search behind the stone signage. He says it's possible the tricycle was there earlier and went unnoticed.

Horst said a potential witness had previously mentioned seeing Michael Vaughan riding a big-wheel tricycle, which is why it stood out to him when he saw it on August 5. It was then collected as evidence.

Capt. Horst was dismissed at 4:08 p.m.

4:30 P.M. JAMES SMIT ON THE STAND

The state calls James Smit to the stand, who lives in The Bluffs subdivision in Fruitland near where Stacey Wondra lived at the time of Michael Vaughan's disappearance in July 2021.

Smit says he found the tricycle that was at the center of previous testimony over the bluff at the end of 8th Street. He described that as a "dumping ground" where people discarded items.

He was looking for a wheel for a project, so he took the tricycle to his house. The wheel didn't fit his needs, so he put the bike back together, and then brought it back to where he found it. He said the bike was still in good shape, so instead of throwing it over the bluff, he tucked it behind the subdivision sign, so it could be found and used again.

He knows it's the same tricycle in the photographs, because it lost one hubcap while he was working on it.

4:37 P.M. JAMES SMIT CROSS EXAMINATION

Neighbor James Smit clarifies he found the tricycle "probably the week after" Michael went missing.

He had the tricycle for about a day before he returned it.

Court is dismissed for the day and will resume Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.

Not much stood out to me from today. Previous knowledge or stuff from the PCA.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:

Not much stood out to me from today. Previous knowledge or stuff from the PCA.

Click to expand...

It was interesting about the missing hubcap on the toy and the guy knew exactly why and when.

SheWhoMustNotBeNamed said:

Not much stood out to me from today. Previous knowledge or stuff from the PCA.

Click to expand...

I haven’t kept up with this case very well, so I’m learning from these posts. Thank you!

Live updates here again today:


9:02 A.M. COURT PROCEEDINGS GET UNDERWAY

Court proceedings got underway at 9 a.m. Wednesday as prosecutors called their first witness of the day, Fruitland Police Detective Juanita Kelleher, a key investigator in the case.

Stacey Wondra entered the courtroom in chains and wearing street clothes, including a blue button-down shirt, before taking his seat with defense attorneys as testimony began.

9:25 A.M. DETECTIVE INTERVIEW VIDEO SHOWN IN COURT

Prosecutors began playing recorded November 2022 interviews with Stacey Wondra, showing video of him speaking with Fruitland Police detectives while in custody. In the footage, Wondra appears to discuss providing information about Michael Vaughan while also asking detectives what kind of deal he might receive in return.

9:50 A.M. INTERVIEW VIDEO CONTINUES

In the recorded interview played in court, detectives questioned Stacey Wondra about his whereabouts the day Michael Vaughan disappeared, referencing surveillance that appeared to place his vehicle near a splash pad in Fruitland. Wondra acknowledged being in the area but said he was “just parked there.” He also described his wife Sarah Wondra’s behavior as “off” that night and told detectives the other roommates – Brandon Shurtliff and Adrien Lucien – were also home before the group later left the house.

10:26 A.M. DETECTIVES CONTINUE QUESTIONING IN INTERVIEW VIDEO

As the interview video continued playing in court, detectives pressed Stacey Wondra to explain what happened the night Michael Vaughan disappeared. Wondra insisted he had told investigators everything he knew, while suggesting others in the home may have had more information.

11:00 A.M. INTERVIEW VIDEO SHIFTS TO MORE DETAILED STATEMENTS

The interview video then shifts to Stacey Wondra providing more detail about what he claims happened that night. Wondra told detectives he believed Michael was duct-taped and transported in a duffel bag in a truck, saying he overheard others discussing “what they should do with him.”

11:32 A.M. INTERVIEW VIDEO CONTINUES

The video continued playing in court as Stacey Wondra described what he recalled from that night. At one point during the interview, Wondra appeared to become physically ill and vomit, and questioning stalled for several minutes while he recovered.

From above link. Continued after lunch recess.

1:00 P.M. COURT RESUMES, INTERVIEW VIDEO CONTINUES

Prosecutors resumed playing the November 2022 interview video, telling the court roughly two more hours of footage remains. In the recording, detectives pressed Stacey Wondra about where Michael Vaughan may have been “stashed,” referencing statements from roommate Brandon Shurtliff. Wondra insisted he did not want to be “coerced” into an admission, and later told detectives, “I don’t know where he was buried at.”

1:30 P.M. INTERVIEW VIDEO CONTINUES

Detectives continued pressing Stacey Wondra about inconsistencies in his statements and where Michael Vaughan may be. During the exchange, Wondra said he may have seen a child’s sippy cup inside the home, while Michael’s parents continued to appear visibly distressed as the video continued playing in court.

2:52 P.M. WONDRA INTERVIEW VIDEO FROM FOLLOWING DAY SHOWN

Court resumed with video from a second interview with Stacey Wondra recorded Nov. 12. In the footage, Wondra discussed roommates Brandon Shurtliff and Adrien Lucien — saying Brandon had initially been allowed to stay for one night but remained in the home for weeks, and describing Adrien as “assertive” and someone who made him uncomfortable.

3:10 P.M. WONDRA DISCUSSES SARAH, ALIBI AND MICHAEL’S WHEREABOUTS

Stacey Wondra recalled seeing Sarah Wondra holding Michael that night and described a complicated relationship dynamic in the home, referencing a possible love triangle. Detectives pressed him on whether Michael could still be alive or if he had been taken to Kuna. Wondra said he worries “every day” about whether the boy is alive, and claimed he had an alibi – but paused when detectives asked him to explain it, prompting investigators to push him to be fully truthful.

3:35 P.M. DETECTIVES PRESS WONDRA ON TIMELINE

Detectives walked Stacey Wondra through the timeline of the day Michael disappeared, noting surveillance that placed him at a splash pad before returning home where he saw a tricycle in the house. Investigators suggested Michael had not yet been abducted when Wondra arrived home and urged him to be truthful about his involvement, even if it made him “look a little bad.” Wondra again said Sarah Wondra and Adrien Lucien were discussing ways to make money, including a possible Snapchat scam, but said he does not believe that was related to Michael’s disappearance.

4:00 P.M. DETECTIVE CHALLENGES WONDRA ON TIMELINE

Detectives grew frustrated with inconsistencies in Stacey Wondra’s account, telling him the timeline was not matching information investigators already had. Wondra repeated that Sarah Wondra and Adrien Lucien left the home and later returned with Michael, saying he was “scared” of Sarah. When pressed about when Michael left the house, Wondra told detectives he heard the boy making noise in the duffel bag and believed he was alive at the time, suggesting Michael may have been in the back of a truck when they drove to Shurtliff’s mom’s house in Kuna— rather than being taken to Ontario as he had previously indicated.

4:10 P.M. WONDRA DESCRIBES WHERE MICHAEL WAS TAKEN

Wondra told detectives he believed Michael was taken to Brandon Shurtliff’s mother’s home in Kuna and left there overnight. Wondra said he believed the boy was still alive when they left him. He said at no point was he told that Michael had died.

4:12 P.M. WONDRA CLAIMS MICHAEL WAS ALIVE WHEN LEFT KUNA

Wondra told detectives he was “99.9% sure” Michael was still alive when they left him the night before. He claimed the next morning others told him they had gone to “finish what they started.” Wondra speculated that if Michael had been buried, his guess would be the backyard of Brandon Shurtliff’s mother’s home in Kuna, where he said there was a firepit.