Mindy Daffern, 46, was abducted from her family's store at which she worked. After having been missing since Friday, her body has been discovered near Sunset, Texas in Montague County. Surveillance camera videotape showed her abducted at gunpoint by an unmasked man. Wallace Bowman Jr. is the man suspected in her abduction and death. Bowman led police to Daffern's body on Saturday.
Wallace Bowman Jr., 30, faces charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and capital murder. Bail has been set at $3 million.
Wallace Bowman Jr., 30, faces charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and capital murder. Bail has been set at $3 million.
Video of the kidnapping can be seen here:Daffern's kidnapping.
The abductor left in a sport utility vehicle. The abductor seemed oblivious to security cameras and his face obviously helped police identify him. The SUV was discovered at a motel 40 miles away. When apprehended, Bowman was unarmed. In 1996, Bowman was placed on probation for burglary. In 1997 Bowman was sentenced to seven years for aggravated sexual assault. Upon his release in 2004, Bowman apparently failed to register as a sex offender.
The abductor left in a sport utility vehicle. The abductor seemed oblivious to security cameras and his face obviously helped police identify him. The SUV was discovered at a motel 40 miles away. When apprehended, Bowman was unarmed. In 1996, Bowman was placed on probation for burglary. In 1997 Bowman was sentenced to seven years for aggravated sexual assault. Upon his release in 2004, Bowman apparently failed to register as a sex offender.
Update 11-24-09: Defense attorneys in the capital murder cases against Wallace Bowman Jr. filed for a change of venue. District Attorney Jack McGaughey did not oppose the motion.
The 32-year-old Bowman was indicted for capital murder in the death of Melinda Daffern, a 46-year-old store clerk in Scotland. Bowman is also charged in the murders of James and Karen Frances, whose bodies were found in their home. Bowman also faces a charge of burglary for allegedly taking a gun from the mobile home of James Carsley. Additional charges of kidnapping and robbery are filed in Archer County. Bowman is represented by Joetta Keene of Arlington. The trial is scheduled for March 2010. Prosecutors have not decided on whether to request the death penalty. Keene is a death penalty certified lawyer.
District Judge Roger Towery will ultimately decide where the trial will take place.
The 32-year-old Bowman was indicted for capital murder in the death of Melinda Daffern, a 46-year-old store clerk in Scotland. Bowman is also charged in the murders of James and Karen Frances, whose bodies were found in their home. Bowman also faces a charge of burglary for allegedly taking a gun from the mobile home of James Carsley. Additional charges of kidnapping and robbery are filed in Archer County. Bowman is represented by Joetta Keene of Arlington. The trial is scheduled for March 2010. Prosecutors have not decided on whether to request the death penalty. Keene is a death penalty certified lawyer.
District Judge Roger Towery will ultimately decide where the trial will take place.
Update 5-10-10: Chris Whitaker has updated us at to the case. Apparently the defendant entered a plea agreement and has been spared his life. See Chris comment below for details. Again our deepest sympathy to the family of Mindy.
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42 comments:
This is another dagger in the heart of those in favor of prison reform!
One more example of scum who should not have been on the streets.
This was scary.
WTH is up with that beverage in the video?
First he's got the gun in one hand and the drink in the other, then she's holding it, then he's got it again.
Dude, you can get your drink on AFTER the kidnapping and murder.
He's got his drink on...
What is wrong with our justice system?
Anon 6:48:
I agree 100% with your comment.
Bowman is innocent. It is go time you @ssh@le! Its not him in the video.
Barnie
Barnie, are you a forensic expert? All suspects are presumed innocent unless otherwise found guilty in a court of law. But you, my misinformed reader, either did not read the article and watch the video, or you are truly incapable of comprehensive thoughts.
Having just got out of dog bite bench trial, I have less tolerance then usual for uninformed drivel.
Duh, he led cops to the body, Barnie boy. U really wanna mess with the pubmiester?
"Wallace Bowman Led Police To Victim's Body In Montague Co."
If he didn't kill her then his knowledge of where the body was left is remarkable. I kind assumed that a confession went along with his instructions for finding her body. No?
U folks are ignorant. Bowman may know who did it but it don't mean he did it. Fact is, he aint the one!
Barnie.
Barnie, Dude, what are you smoking. Give it up. Wallace Bowman is going down for this crime. My bet is he showed police the body in order to bargain for not getting the death penalty. This is Texas. We string em up for less than this.
But tell you what... you want go time. There are a couple of Rangers that would be more than happy to oblige you, I am sure.
Steve
i think he did it so he could go back to prison, and be put to death. He had some problems going on that he couldnt deal with emotionally, so he did the most horrible thing by taking an innocent life, so he would be sure to be put away. I guess sometimes one never knows how deep a person's emotional stress is, and they snap. I feel very very very bad for Mindys family.
Yet, the whole time, he drinks his drink calm as can be.
Maybe he liked the toilet wine from prison better than the Boonsfarm he had to buy on the outside...?
I knew her and worked there at one point....that guy should die a cruel and unusal death like his victims...yes I said that plural...he was linked to murdering two people and burning their house down just a couple of hours before he murdered Mindy...and he admitted to all of it.
Sorry for your loss ex-coworker. I think that this guy wanted to go to jail or was so out of his mind he did not know right from wrong. In one case he deserves the death penalty and in the other he deserves life in prison with intense treatment. Anyway, that is my opinion...
This guy deserves the most severe punishment allowable!
Scum bag!
this dicksucker will rot in hell!after he rots in prison
Death too good for him?
guy needs to fry...
Update 11-24-09: Defense attorneys in the capital murder cases against Wallace Bowman Jr. filed for a change of venue. District Attorney Jack McGaughey did not oppose the motion.
The 32-year-old Bowman was indicted for capital murder in the death of Melinda Daffern, a 46-year-old store clerk in Scotland. Bowman is also charged in the murders of James and Karen Frances, whose bodies were found in their home. Bowman also faces a charge of burglary for allegedly taking a gun from the mobile home of James Carsley. Additional charges of kidnapping and robbery are filed in Archer County. Bowman is represented by Joetta Keene of Arlington. The trial is scheduled for March 2010. Prosecutors have not decided on whether to request the death penaltly. Keene is a death penalty certified lawyer.
District Judge Roger Towery will ultimately decide where the trial will take place.
Mindy was my sister. I wish that Mr annonomous would be kind enough to give me his name. I would greatly like to meet him face to face so we could discuss his opinions privately.
Chris, sorry for your loss. Please keep us posted on how the trial etcc turns out.
this is ray. i just found this site and signed up. i will be checking back. thank you for your support. thank you chris, wouldn't it be fun to run into this guy somewhere?
oops, forgot to say, due to scheduling conflicts, the trial will not be till feb.2011. sucks
Welcome Chris and Ray. Please keep us posted.
T.G.
The scumbag got a plea deal. Life without the possibility of parole. I hope he rots. I still miss my sister.
Update 5-10-10: Chris Whitaker has updated us at to the case. Apparently the defendant entered a plea agreement and has been spared his life. See Chris comment above for details. Again our deepest sympathy to the family of Mindy.
on may 10, 2010, wallace bowman signed a plea agreement to life in prison without parole or appeal. not what i personally wanted, but it will suffice. on the upside, much of the evidence is sealed, and not available.
Thanks Ray!
my perosnal opinion:
i think Wallace Bowman should be executed by having his throat cut, and his head set on fire with camper fuel, just like he did the innocent store clerk...
not to mention he was found in the motel room with a pregnant lady shooting dope up. i have known wallace for a very long time.. and what he did was inexcusable. as a tax payer i dont like having to pay for Wallace "the butcherer" Bowman to be able to watch cable tv, pay for his medical bills, and to feed him for the rest of his worthless life.
Not too many Wallace Bowman appologists out in the crowd. In fact, it's hard to find anyone who will openly say he is capable of "reform" or worthy of a second chance.
But cutting off a convict's head or lighting a convict on fire crosses the line that separates criminals from civilized beings.
I'm really Glad i ran across this blog.Added legalpublication.blogspot.com to my bookmark!
Yup, gassing someone to death is so much more civilized...
Thank you for the information. Congratulations!
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Chris: Do you think the family now has closure?
Never. He is still alive. Justice is sometimes slow but I guarantee you that it will be served. One day at a time! CHRIS WHITAKER.
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