The preliminary hearing for Stacey Wondra, the man charged with kidnapping and murdering missing Fruitland boy Michael “Monkey” Vaughan, enters its third day Thursday inside the Payette County Courthouse.
WATCH: Hours of police interview video played in court during day 2 of Stacey Wondra hearing
During the first two days of the hearing, prosecutors played hours of recorded police interviews with Wondra from November 2022, when detectives questioned him while he was jailed on an unrelated charge. In the recordings, Wondra described seeing Michael restrained with duct tape and referenced a duffel bag investigators believe may have been used to move the child.
Wondra also suggested others in the household — including his wife Sarah Wondra and roommates Adrien Lucien and Brandon Shurtliff — were involved, while portraying himself as a bystander. At one point in the video, he said he heard the boy crying for his mother, prompting Michael’s parents to leave the courtroom.
10:26 A.M. DEFENSE CROSS-EXAMINES DETECTIVE
During cross-examination, Detective Juanita Kelleher testified this was the first missing child case she had worked in the area and described the large search effort that followed Michael Vaughan’s disappearance, including professional search teams and canvassing roughly 300 homes. She also discussed surveillance showing Stacey Wondra’s white Lexus near the splash pad around 3:22 p.m., saying she found it unusual for an adult to stop a vehicle in an area where children were known to be playing.
10:02 A.M.
Testimony returned to Detective Juanita Kelleher, who said after the November 2022 interviews with Wondra, investigators obtained a search warrant and spent days digging on the Wondra property with cadaver dogs but never recovered Michael. She also testified Wondra told detectives phones and SIM cards used at the time were discarded because he didn’t want to be “followed,” and said roommate Brandon Shurtliff later reported Wondra called him saying they needed to get their stories straight.
10:01 A.M.
Wondra’s mother urged him to promise he was telling the whole truth, telling him withholding information would be the same as lying; Wondra said he was being honest. She told him it’s not fair to Michael’s family to keep them wondering.
9:52 A.M. DETECTIVE DETAILS SEARCH OF WONDRA PROPERTY
His mother asked if detectives would find Michael where they had sent them – referring to the backyard Wondra previously described – and Wondra nodded yes.
9:45 AM
Wondra claimed Michael was taken “to make money,” while insisting he was “completely out of the loop on everything.” When his adopted mother asked why he didn’t speak up, Wondra replied “I was scared to.” He also claimed Michael was taken to Brandon Shurtliff’s house and at one point asked, “Am I going to die in prison?”
9:41 A.M. JAIL CALL VIDEO CONTINUES
Wondra told his adopted mother he had told detectives where Michael Vaughan was and said they promised to “fight for me.” When she asked if Michael was alive, Wondra shook his head and said “Sarah accidentally killed him.” He also claimed Sarah Wondra and Adrien Lucien brought Michael into the home while he was there.
9:32 A.M. VIDEO OF JAIL CALL PLAYED IN COURT
Prosecutors began playing a video of Stacey Wondra speaking with his adopted mother while in custody. In the call, Wondra tells her he “told them everything” about speaking with detectives. At one point, his mother asks if he was “completely honest with them about everything,” later telling him, “You have to take responsibility for your part.” Wondra responds, “I’m sorry I let you guys down.”
9:29 A.M. COURT PROCEEDINGS RESUME
Court is underway as prosecutors continue testimony from Fruitland Police Detective Juanita Kelleher. The state told the court it plans to publish “one last exhibit” – a 28-minute video – as testimony continues.
