Food Network star finalist Cristie Schoen Codd, 38, five months pregnant and her husband Joseph "J.T.", 45, who previously worked as a key grip on Hollywood films, were missing since Sunday, March 15. A contractor doing odd jobs for the couple was held responsible for the murder after remains had been found.
Robert Jason Owens, 36, from North Carolina was apprehended and was charged of two counts of first-degree murder and the murder of an unborn child on Tuesday.
Owens worked as a contractor doing various work for the Food Network star finalist and her husband's house in Leicester, North Carolina, according to Washington Post.
Owens was charged with three counts of murder including murder of unborn child as North Carolina has a fetal homicide law that considers killing of unborn babies at any stage of development a grave crime. The suspect faces full life jail sentence without bail according to Buncombe County Sheriff's Office.
Food Network star finalist's father alarmed a family friend named Cecilia Owens, who also happened to be Owens' aunt since there have been no news about the couple for a number of days. However when she opened the door, there was no trail that somebody was there, which was very unbelievable to happen.
That was the time Cecilia Owens told Schoen Codd's dad that they the couple was missing.
According to Buzzfeed, the investigators arrived at Codds' house in North Carolina without any trace of the couple. There is no confirmation yet whether the remains of the Food Network star finalist and her husband have been found.
Their vehicles and dogs were the only things they found at the site. Aside from the charges mentioned, the suspect also faces indictments for breaking and entering and larceny where he stole the couple's jewelries, laptop, and a handgun.
The Food Network star finalist appeared on the Season 8 of Food Network's reality show Food Network Star. She also had worked with Will Smith movie, "Focus," the head caterer for "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," "Ender's Game," and the forthcoming "Terminator Genisys" movies.
Owens was found to have several run-ins with the law.
He was found to be liable for the murder of 18-year-old co-worker, Zebb Quinncase in Western Carolina in 2000, charges for drunk and disorderly conduct, speeding while escaping police, reckless driving, impaired driving, assaulting an officer and resisting police.
Buncombe County Medical Examiner Sharon Sweede claimed that remains were located and were submitted to Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem for identification if they belong to the former Food Network star finalist Cristie Schoen Codd, and her husband "J.T."
