Man charged with murder in case of missing Fruitland boy Michael Vaughan
Published at
Kelsie Rose & Kate Jacobson, KIVI TV
FRUITLAND (KIVI TV) — Charges have been filed in the case of missing Fruitland boy Michael “Monkey” Vaughan.
Stacey Wondra has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and destruction of evidence, according to a Lieutenant with the Payette County Sheriff’s Office.
A Vaughan Family spokesperson says Wondra was supposed to be released from an Arizona prison on Thursday and is now expected to be extradited to Idaho.
Vaughan was 5 years old at the time he disappeared in Fruitland.
In 2022, Sarah Wondra, Stacey Wondra’s wife, was arrested for failing to report Michael’s death. Investigators dug up the yard of their home after a “credible tip,” but the search turned up no evidence. Her charges were dropped in April 2023.
In 2025, police bodycam footage showed Stacey Wondra on a video call with investigators as the yard was excavated in 2022. In the footage, he’s giving officers directions to where he believed Michael to be buried, saying his wife was responsible. “Like I said, Sarah could have done something with [the body] when I wasn’t home. Knowing that she knew that I had seen where she was digging,” Stacey is heard saying on the video.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.