Court documents detail allegations against Sarah Wondra in Michael Vaughan case

PAYETTE COUNTY (KIVI) — Sarah Wondra allegedly told a jailer she had seen a body in a bag and sent messages about wanting to leave her neighborhood less than two weeks after 5-year-old Michael “Monkey” Vaughan disappeared, according to court documents.

Wondra was booked into the Payette County Jail on Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and concealment of evidence in Michael’s disappearance.

Her bond is set at $1 million, and she is expected to appear in Payette County Court for an arraignment on Thursday at 4 p.m. Idaho News 6 will be at the courthouse and will provide updates.

According to the court documents, in 2022 Sarah Wondra was emotionally distraught at the Payette County Jail and complained about people saying she had done something bad.

When a jailer asked what was wrong, she allegedly said, “I don’t know if it was him, I don’t know what body I saw.”

Asked what body she meant, Wondra allegedly responded, “I don’t know it was in a bag, I couldn’t see it.”

The jailer ended the conversation after realizing Wondra might be talking about her case, according to the documents. They do not specify when the conversation happened or whose body she was referring to.

Investigators also cited an Aug. 8, 2021, message recovered from iCloud, 12 days after Michael disappeared.

According to the documents, Wondra told her then-husband, Stacey Wondra, she wanted to move and “get out of this neighborhood and this house.” The documents do not explain why she wanted to leave.

Another communication from Aug. 12 indicated a falling-out between Stacey Wondra and Brandon Shurtliff, who lived with the couple when Michael disappeared.

Investigators said the messages indicated Shurtliff was being kicked out, but did not explain what caused the disagreement.

The documents also include a statement from Shurtliff’s mother, Tina Morreale, who said her son contacted Sarah Wondra to “get his story” before speaking with investigators.

Both Sarah and Stacey Wondra’s court documents also describe Shurtliff’s allegation that Stacey asked him to help create an alibi or write a letter saying the Wondras were not involved.

Evidence overlaps with Stacey Wondra’s case

Much of the evidence described in Sarah Wondra’s court documents comes from statements Stacey gave investigators in November 2022. Both documents say Stacey sought a deal before providing an account that implicated himself and other people who lived in the home.

The documents also describe a November 2022 search of the Wondras’ Fruitland backyard, where cadaver dogs alerted during the investigation. No human remains were found during the excavation.

Sarah Wondra’s name first became publicly connected to the case during that search. She was arrested in 2022 on a charge of failing to report a death, but that charge was dismissed in April 2023 after competency proceedings delayed the case.

Stacey Wondra was charged with murder, kidnapping and concealment of evidence in 2025. He has pleaded not guilty and has a trial set for 2027.