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Inset from left to right: Cassandra Lange and Joby Williams (Medina County Sheriff”s Office). Background: A section of the 3300 block of County Road 265 in Mico, Texas (Google Maps).
A tragic incident unfolded in Texas as a man returning from work was allegedly murdered by his stepdaughter and an accomplice, following the killing of the man’s wife, according to authorities.
The Medina County Sheriff’s Office reported that Cassandra Lange, 29, and Joby Williams, 30, are facing charges of capital murder involving multiple victims. The charges stem from the deaths of 54-year-old Cherry Rehbein and 58-year-old Stephen Rehbein. This announcement was made on Friday through their Facebook page.
Both suspects are currently held at the sheriff’s office, each with a surety bond set at $1 million.
The investigation has led authorities to believe that on Monday, Lange and Williams killed Cherry Rehbein at her residence located on the 3300 block of County Road 265 in Mico, Texas. This information was shared by Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown with San Antonio’s ABC affiliate KSAT.
Stephen Rehbein was reportedly killed later the same day when he arrived home from work.
Lange was Cherry Rehbein’s biological daughter, and Stephen Rehbein was the younger woman’s stepfather, the sheriff’s office said.
Two days later, a co-worker of Stephen Rehbein’s reported that the man had not shown up for work, and deputies did a welfare check on his home.
“Upon arrival, deputies were unable to make contact with anyone at the residence; however, they observed evidence indicating possible foul play,” the law enforcement agency said.
That evidence was allegedly bloody items in a trash can outside the home. Authorities secured search warrants and began tracking vehicles belonging to the victims.
One of those vehicles was reportedly “located traveling in the Corpus Christi, Texas area,” about 2 1/2 hours southeast from Mico, which is a small community close to San Antonio. Law enforcement stopped the vehicle, where they said they found Lange, Williams, and two children inside.
Lange was the mother of both the 6-year-old girl and 1-month-old baby, but Williams was only the biological father of the infant, KSAT reported. The 6-year-old was transferred to the custody of her father, while the baby was placed in the care of state child workers.
The suspects were then detained and interviewed.
“During the interview, Lange confessed that she and Williams had killed her mother and stepfather and disposed of their bodies in a ravine,” the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators “immediately began a search in the Medina Lake area,” the agency went on. Though the search “proved challenging” at night, “deputies located two large black garbage bags concealed in a deep ravine,” recovered those, and the remains were sent off for autopsies.
On Friday, authorities said the investigation is ongoing.