Murder charges filed after Idaho 5-year-old’s suspicious disappearance from his own neighborhood
Idaho prosecutors are re‑opening the case of July 2021 when five‑year‑old Michael Vaughan vanished from his family’s home in Fruitland, a town in Payette County.
“My office is moving forward with charges against the individuals involved in the disappearance and murder of 5‑year‑old Michael Vaughan, which occurred in the summer of 2021,” Payette County Prosecutor Michael Duke said in a statement Friday morning. The statement did not name the suspects, and a staffer at the office said she could not share further details.
According to local news outlet KTVB‑7, a former suspect who lived next door to the child is now on an arrest warrant. Stacey Wondra, 33, is expected to face first‑degree murder, second‑degree kidnapping and destruction of evidence charges. Wondra and his wife, Sarah, were arrested on lesser charges in 2022 while investigators searched the area.
The Wondras were previously connected to the disappearance. Sarah’s charge for failing to report a death was dropped, and Stacey spent time in federal prison in Arizona for possessing a firearm as a felon. He recently completed a sentence and is set to return to Idaho.
Fruitland Police Chief JD Huff declined to comment, and the county sheriff’s office remained silent. The new charges are part of ongoing efforts to bring closure to Michael’s family, who have been waiting since the week Michael disappeared.
“We hope to keep the family from grieving alone, and we will leave no stone unturned,” Duke said, adding that the decision came as police and volunteers continue to investigate the area, including hundreds of acres around the Wondra’s home.
Michael’s mother, Brandi Vaughan, praised the resolve of Fruitland police and the prosecutor’s office on Facebook. “Your sheer determination and strength during this whole process as of today has been nothing short of incredible,” she posted.
Fruitland police and the Payette County prosecutor’s office are encouraging anyone with new information to contact the department at 208‑452‑3110 or email findmichael@fruitland.org. The investigation remains open, and the community hopes for a resolution that brings the child’s story to a close.
Source: New York Post
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