Arrest in Missing Woman Case

April 04, 2007

Buddy Jones

by Cliff Judy and John Boyd

Wichita police say they've made an arrest in connection with the disappearance of Michelle Rawls. The 36-year-old went missing late last July while she was packing the last of her belongings to move from Wichita to Texas.

Police announced Wednesday morning they'd arrested 50-year-old Buddy A. Jones on Tuesday. Police did not elaborate on what led them to Jones and remain tight-lipped about the investigation. However, they don't believe Jones and Rawls knew each other.

Over the last eight months, police had searched all over Wichita for Rawls. In August, homicide detectives left a note for Rawls at her house asking her to call and let them know she was okay. Later, police dragged the Arkansas River looking for her body. Just in the last several weeks, police asked the public for help searching for a missing rug they thought might be related to her disappearance.

Jones made his first appearance in court Wednesday afternoon. A judge read him the charge he'll face, one count of first degree murder. According to the complaint, the murder happened sometime between July 22, the last time Rawls was seen, and August 4 of last year.

Jones is being held on $500,000 bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 18th.

A month before her disappearance, Rawls told police she'd been sexually assaulted by her boyfriend. Police have repeatedly said that man is not a suspect in her disappearance or murder and point out he was in jail when she disappeared. The case against the man has since been dropped because Rawls was the key witness and couldn't testify.

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