GREAT BEND — Five people previously charged in Arkansas in connection to the murder of a Wichita couple at the Barton County Fair in July have been booked and are now in custody in Barton County.
Michael Fowler Jr., 54, Sarasota, Florida; Rusty Fraiser, 35, Aransas, Texas; and Kimberly Younger, 52, McIntosh, Florida, were charged Wednesday in Barton County District Court for capital murder, first degree murder and theft.
The trio were extradited back to Kansas from Arkansas where they also face capital murder charges in connection to the deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter of Wichita who were killed and their bodies transported back to Arkansas during the Barton County Fair in July.
Investigators believe the carnival workers used the couple’s recreational vehicle to drive the bodies 320 miles to Van Buren, Arkansas where the bodies were buried in a shallow grave in a national forest. The three are being held in the Barton County Jail in Lieu of a 1,000,000 bond.
Two other individuals, Christine Tenney, 38, Santa Fe, Texas, and Thomas Drake, 31, Van Buren, Arkansas, were also charged in Barton County District Court and are charged with obstructing apprehension. Both Tenney and Drake are being held in the Barton County jail in lieu of a $300.000 bond.
Here are the charges that have been filed:
Michael Fowler Jr., of Sarasota, Florida on a Barton County District Court warrant for capital murder, two counts of murder in the first degree and theft. Bond set at $1,000,000.
Rusty Fraiser of Aransas, Texas on a Barton County District Court warrant for capital murder, two counts of murder in the first degree. Bond set at $1,000,000.
Kimberly Younger of of McIntosh, Florida Aransas, Texas for capital murder, two counts of murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, solicitation to commit first degree murder and theft. Bond set at $1,000,000.
Christine Tenney of Santa Fe, Texas, on a Barton County District Court warrant for three counts of obstruction. Bond set at $300,000.
Thomas Drake of Van Buren, Arkansas, on a Barton County District Court warrant for obstructing apprehension. Bond set at $300,000.