Neighbor Arrested in Brutal Kidnap and Murder of Michael Vaughn
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
4.2 • 8.1K Ratings
🗓️ 3 May 2026
⏱️ 51 minutes
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Summary
Residents of a small rural Idaho town of turn out in force to join authorities searching for a 5-year-old boy reported missing. He was last seen in a field near his family home. Ultimately, tips lead police to the home of a neighbor, Sarah Wondra. Police spent more than a week excavating the home's backyard. FPD Chief JD Huff says police believe Vaughan's body was buried in Wondra's backyard and then moved to another location. All the cadaver dogs used in the search "alerted" in the yard. Ground penetrating radar also detected "anomalies." Additional evidence was found in the home.
Now Sarah Wondra's husband, Stacey, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, destruction of evidence and more. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
In the last days, the judge overseeing Wondra's preliminary hearing found probable cause that he kidnapped and killed Michael Vaughan, then destroyed evidence. During closing arguments the prosecution alleged Michael died by suffocation.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:03.4 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:05.8 | Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. |
| 0:12.8 | Five-year-old Michael Vaughn, |
| 0:15.9 | five years old playing in his front yard when he was taken, |
| 0:22.8 | according to prosecutors. |
| 0:31.8 | In the last hours, a judge brings down the hammer, paving the way for a neighbor man, |
| 0:37.5 | Stacey Wondra, to go to trial for murder. |
| 0:43.9 | I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. |
| 0:57.5 | That's right. Michael Vaughn, a beautiful five-year-old little boy, last scene, playing outside his family home in a rural and tight-knit town, Fruitland, Idaho. |
| 1:00.8 | That's about 50 miles from Boise. |
| 1:06.9 | The five-year-old tots disappearance shattered the small community. |
| 1:19.7 | At the time, less than 6,500 people live there, and its police department, the entire department, had a total of 12 officers. |
| 1:32.0 | Well, the search for Michael stretched the police force, but with the help of dozens of local police agencies, plus the FBI, |
| 1:41.7 | and volunteers, over 3,000 acres of land, including 29 miles on the Snake River, were searched. |
| 1:46.6 | But years went by, no sign of Michael. |
| 1:55.4 | For over four years, his mother, Brandy, tirelessly seeking answers, working with police, |
| 1:59.1 | trying to locate her little boy that she called monkey. |
| 2:10.3 | But in the last months, a neighbor who lived just blocks away is charged with murder, |
| 2:13.7 | kidnap, and destruction of evidence. |
| 2:19.3 | What do we know about the disappearance of Little Michael? |
| 2:24.5 | Michael Vaughn was last seen in the area of Southwest 9th in Arizona in Fruitland. |
... |
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