MICO, Texas (KWTX) — A woman and her companion are in custody after confessing to killing her mother and stepfather and hiding their bodies in a ravine near Medina Lake, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to a welfare check on April 8 after Stephen Rehbein failed to report to work, Sheriff Randy Brown said. The call came in around 12:15 p.m.
Deputies arrived at a residence in the 3300 block of County Road 265 in Mico around 1 p.m. No one answered when they tried to make contact, but they saw evidence indicating possible foul play, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators were called to the scene and found additional evidence suggesting a crime had occurred. They got a search warrant and gathered information identifying vehicles belonging to Rehbein.
Suspects located in Corpus Christi
Using available technology, investigators found one of the vehicles traveling in the Corpus Christi area. Corpus Christi Police Department officers stopped the vehicle to check on Rehbein.
Two adults and two children were inside. The adults were identified as Cassandra Lange, 29, and Joby Williams, 30. Lange is the biological daughter of Cherry Rehbein, who was married to Stephen Rehbein, the sheriff’s office reported.
A Medina County chief deputy and a Texas Ranger traveled to Corpus Christi to interview the suspects. During the interview, Lange confessed that she and Williams had killed her mother and stepfather and disposed of their bodies in a ravine, according to investigators.
Bodies recovered from ravine
Investigators in Medina County immediately began searching the Medina Lake area. The search proved challenging due to nighttime conditions, the sheriff’s office said.
After several hours, deputies found two large black garbage bags hidden in a deep ravine off FM 1283. The location was not visible from the roadway and was discovered through careful observation by a deputy, according to the sheriff’s office.
Two bodies were recovered with help from ESD Fire personnel and transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
The suspects were taken into custody around 7 p.m. The two children, ages 6 years and 1 month, were placed with Child Protective Services and are being reunited with family members, Brown said.
Cassandra Lange and Joby Williams remain in custody. Lange’s bond has been set at $150,000 surety, and Williams’ bond has been set at $200,000 surety.
Both are charged with capital murder of multiple persons.
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