PAYETTE, Idaho — Newly released court documents outline a disturbing and detailed account of what investigators say happened to 5-year-old Michael "Monkey" Vaughan who vanished from his Fruitland neighborhood on July 27, 2021. An unsealed probable cause affidavit accuses four individuals — Stacey Wondra, Sarah Wondra, Brandon Shurtliff, and Adrien (“Adrian”) Lucienne — of participating in Michael’s abduction, death, and the concealment of his body.
All four were named suspects early in the investigation. On Monday, Stacey Wondra, was arraigned in a Payette County courtroom — more than four years after Michael's initial disapperance.
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According to Detective Juanita Kelleher of the Fruitland Police Department, Stacey Wondra "is alleged to have committed" first-degree Murder, second-degree kidnapping, and destruction of or concealment of evidence.
The affidavit states that following Michael's disappearance on July 27, 2021, a K-9 team "showed interest" in the home of Stacey and Sarah Wondra.
During a search executed by Fruitland Police on August 1, 2021, at the Wondra's residence, officers discovered Adrien Lucienne hiding in a closet. A subsequent interview with officers showed that Lucienne and Brandon Shurtliff were living with the Wondras at the time.
Cell phone data and surveillance footage indicate that all four were in the area when Michael disappeared.
Stacey Wondra later told Fruitland Police, while incarcerated at the Washington County Jail, that he witnessed Sarah Wondra carrying Michael Vaughan into their home on the night of his disappearance.
Stacey Wondra proceeded to tell officers that Michael Vaughan was then placed in a duffel bag with duct tape placed across his mouth. According to Stacey Wondra, Brandon Shurtliff gave Sarah the duffel bag, and Adrien held the bag open while Sarah put Michael inside.
From there, Stacey, Sarah, and Brandon are said to have driven to Kuna in a GMC truck with Michael Vaughan inside the duffel bag. Stacey said that by the time they arrived in Kuna, where Brandon's mother lived, Michael Vaughan was no longer making any noise inside the duffel bag. Brandon brought the duffel bag inside the home and placed it in a spare room. The three proceeded to tow a Mercedes belonging to Brandon back to Fruitland.
Stacey then claims that Sarah, Brandon, and Adrien returned to Kuna the next day to retrieve the duffel bag containing Michael Vaughan. Upon return, Stacey stayed inside the home while Brandon stood guard as Sarah and Adrien dug a hole to bury Michael.
Stacey Wondra said the impetus for the kidnapping was to sell Michael Vaughan, an idea allegedly introduced by Adrien Lucienne. Stacey said that Lucien claimed they would get a "$10,000 cut."
While describing these events to officers, Stacey Wondra began to vomit, citing stress related to the memory of Michael Vaughan as the reason for getting physically ill.
After Stacey's interview, he participated in a video call with his mother. During the call, his mother asked if Michael Vaughan was still alive, to which he responded by shaking his head no. He then told his mother that "Sarah accidentally killed him" by "suffocation." He then told her they buried Michael in the duffel bag in their backyard.
After the interview and call, Stacey Wondra wrote an apology letter to Michael Vaughan's parents before attempting to hang himself in the Washington County Jail. He was rescued by jail staff.
According to the documents, on November 12, 2022, officers delivered a search warrant at Sarah Wondra's home. While officers read the warrant, they say Sarah issued several bewildering statements.
"Wow, that is a lot, I definitely did not kill that boy." Sarah Wondra went on to say, "The most high God just told me that Stacey was the one who killed him and he buried him."
During the search of the Wondra residence, a team of cadaver K-9 was alerted multiple times to the presence of human remains. However, no remains were located during a subsequent excavation of the backyard.
Stacey Wondra is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Payette County Court on December 16.
