PAYETTE, Idaho — Charges against the woman detained in connection to the case of Michael "Monkey" Vaughan out of Fruitland have been dropped. Sarah Wondra had been charged with failure to notify the police of a death.
Wondra has been in the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare since a mental health evaluation in mid-November found her incompetent. Status conferences had been held each month until March 27, when mental health officials and the judge agreed the defendant was competent to proceed.
"For the record, the examiner states that with a reasonable degree of psychological certainty, Ms. Wondra now meets the requirements of the justice standard and is fit to proceed," Judge Robert L. Jackson said.
Wondra was then transferred back to Payette County custody and held on the $500,000 bond that was set upon her original arrest.
Wondra was arrested on November 12, accused of failing to report the death of Michael Vaughan who was five years old when he went missing from his family's Fruitland home on July 27, 2021.
Officials spent more than a week in November excavating Wondra's backyard. Investigators said they were confident Vaughan's remains would be found on the Fruitland property after receiving what they called a "credible tip" from someone who lived in the home. They did not discover any human remains.
At a press conference on December 1, Police Chief JD Huff said authorities believed Vaughan was abducted, killed, buried on the Redwing St. property, then moved.
Fruitland Police said that they believe three other individuals also have information regarding Vaughan's death and disappearance.
No other charges have been filed in the case, though other suspects include Sarah's husband, Stacey Wondra, as well as Adrienne Lucienne and Brandon Shurtliff who had been living with the Wondras at the time of Michael's disappearance.
Though charges have been dropped, Wondra remains in Payette County jail on separate charges. It is expected she will face charges in an unrelated gun case on April 25.
