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CHS_CG
02-22-2005, 12:47 PM
A man who police say was the ex-boyfriend of a missing Texas woman is now charged with capital murder.

Police still haven't found Lisa Underwood or her seven-year-old son -- but they say the information they've received makes them believe that the two are dead. A police lieutenant says authorities are continuing an "aggressive search" for them.

Underwood, who was pregnant, failed to show up for her baby
shower on Saturday. A pool of blood was found at her home, and her
SUV was found yesterday in a creek.

Stephen Barbee of Fort Worth was arrested overnight in Tyler, and was later turned over to Fort Worth police.

Police say they don't know whether Barbee was the father of Underwood's unborn child.

Ranger Mom
02-22-2005, 12:51 PM
Oh no!! That is terrible news!

CHS_CG
02-22-2005, 12:52 PM
Associated Press
Lisa Underwood


Associated Press
Jayden Underwood



DENTON -- The ex-boyfriend of a missing pregnant woman has been arrested and charged with capital murder in the case of the woman and her 7-year-old son, police said today.

Bagel shop owner Lisa Underwood and her son, Jayden, have not been accounted for since she failed to show up at her baby shower Saturday. A pool of blood was found in her home but no sign of forced entry.

Fort Worth police Lt. Gene Jones said today that authorities believe the family is dead.

"We are continuing our very aggressive search to locate them," he said.

Stephen Barbee, 37, of Fort Worth was arrested Monday night in Tyler and initially held in the Smith County Jail in Tyler with bail set at $2 million. He was later turned over to Fort Worth police, who were taking him back to Tarrant County early Tuesday.

Jones said he didn't know why Barbee was in Tyler, how investigators knew to find him there or whether there were other suspects.

"We haven't established a motive, so I can't speak to that," Jones said.

He also didn't know any details about the father of the unborn child was.

"We don't know who the father of the unborn child is," he said. "We know that at one time Mr. Barbee and Ms. Underwood were romantically involved. We don't know what the latest status of that relationship was."

On Monday, after a nationwide Amber Alert, Underwood's abandoned sport utility vehicle was found in a rural creek near Denton.

Police acting on an anonymous tip searched a Fort Worth home overnight and found an item referred to by the tipster, but declined to say what it was or how it figured in their investigation.

Officers on horseback and using dogs concentrated the search in a rural area of Denton, about 30 miles northeast of Fort Worth, after a landowner found the SUV partly submerged in a creek. Also Monday, investigators removed a roll of carpet from Underwood's red brick home, which remained surrounded by police tape.

Searchers continued in a separate part of Denton on Tuesday.

Underwood, 34, is not married, Jones said.

Well wishes and several notes piled up at the bagel shop where Underwood is a co-owner with Holly Pils, who said she last spoke with Underwood on Friday night.

A large brown Teddy bear was placed on a table by a window. One of the notes said, "God Bless Lisa and her two little angels."



That is from the houston chron.

HighSchool Fan
02-22-2005, 01:00 PM
Ft Worth police are now saying that they have found the 2 bodies. they were found just north of Ft Worth.

Bulldog_12
02-22-2005, 01:01 PM
Yeah, Fox News just confirmed that it was the bodies of the woman and child.

Ranger Mom
02-22-2005, 01:03 PM
That just makes me sick to my stomach!

I was still hoping and praying they would be found alive!

God bless Lisa and Jayden!!:(

AP Panther Fan
02-22-2005, 01:04 PM
This is very sad!:(

It's times like this that I am thankful for capital punishment and the fact that Texas isn't afraid to enforce it!:(

Ranger Mom
02-22-2005, 01:07 PM
Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
This is very sad!:(

It's times like this that I am thankful for capital punishment and the fact that Texas isn't afraid to enforce it!:(

Amen sister....and I have no problem with "torture" until that time comes either!

CHS_CG
02-22-2005, 01:12 PM
I would like to quote Ron White.." In Texas we have the death penalty and we USE IT!!!!"

I hope this guy doesnt try any of the I was mentally ill crap... one of the articles i read said that he was the father of her unborn baby girl that was due in 2 months. just makes me sick.

ej2525
02-22-2005, 01:24 PM
Originally posted by Ranger Mom
That just makes me sick to my stomach!

I was still hoping and praying they would be found alive!

God bless Lisa and Jayden!!:(

I knew both Jayden & Lisa through my in-laws. Jayden was my nephew's best friend. Jayden was a wonderful little boy. My nephew has to be told his best friend won't be coming over any more. This makes me sick!! And she was expecting a little girl. :(

CHS_CG
02-22-2005, 01:28 PM
Originally posted by ej2525
I knew both Jayden & Lisa through my in-laws. Jayden was my nephew's best friend. Jayden was a wonderful little boy. My nephew has to be told his best friend won't be coming over any more. This makes me sick!! And she was expecting a little girl. :(

:( :( I am soo sorry. This is a terrible thing. How old is ur nephew? I cant even begin to think what a hard week and weekend its been on that whole town and community.

Old Dog
02-22-2005, 01:29 PM
We live in a sick, sick world don't we?

Bubba-Joe
02-22-2005, 01:30 PM
Get a rope and a tall oak tree
Whoever is responible should swing
The problem with Capital punishment isnt' that we use it , it is that we don't use it enough
Hang the responsible party at dawn and let him swing til dusk as a reminder to all that Texas won't tolerate Killers
Public Execution should be brought back
Hanging on the Court House Square

ej2525
02-22-2005, 01:34 PM
Originally posted by CHS_CG
:( :( I am soo sorry. This is a terrible thing. How old is ur nephew? I cant even begin to think what a hard week and weekend its been on that whole town and community.

My nephew is also 7. He grew up basically with Jayden. He doesn't know the whole story yet. My brother-in-law told my wife "how do I tell my son what happened"?

He also said give me 5 minutes alone with him & we won't need a trial!

I'll give you 4 1/2 & I want 30 seconds for myself!!

Ranger Mom
02-22-2005, 01:35 PM
Originally posted by Bubba-Joe
Get a rope and a tall oak tree
Whoever is responible should swing
The problem with Capital punishment isnt' that we use it , it is that we don't use it enough
Hang the responsible party at dawn and let him swing til dusk as a reminder to all that Texas won't tolerate Killers
Public Execution should be brought back
Hanging on the Court House Square

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I agree Bubba-Jo!!

I am so sick of hearing about prisoners rights and prisoner abuse.

CHS_CG
02-22-2005, 01:40 PM
Originally posted by ej2525
My nephew is also 7. He grew up basically with Jayden. He doesn't know the whole story yet. My brother-in-law told my wife "how do I tell my son what happened"?

He also said give me 5 minutes alone with him & we won't need a trial!

I'll give you 4 1/2 & I want 30 seconds for myself!!


I am sure everybody in texas would like 30 seconds.. myself included.. there is no reason for ANYBODY in this world to take somebody else life, let alone 3 peoples, except when it comes to the death penalty! I feel very bad for your brother-in-law. I dont know how i would ever tell my kid that their best friend isnt coming home.:( :(

Z motion 10 out on 2
02-22-2005, 02:06 PM
The sad thing is that this sort of thing is very common in our world today.

I pray for the families that are touched by this terrible crime.

Bandera YaYa
02-22-2005, 02:36 PM
What would make anyone kill a little innocent 7 yr old boy......it's so horrible and doesn't make sense to me.

ej2525
02-22-2005, 03:39 PM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022305dnmetunderwood.d3296c64.htm

Nicholas mentioned is my nephew.
:(

spiveyrat
02-22-2005, 03:44 PM
Originally posted by Bandera YaYa
What would make anyone kill a little innocent 7 yr old boy......it's so horrible and doesn't make sense to me.


I wonder if he witnessed his mother's murder and the murderer decided to "get rid of" the witness.

Just awful!:(

ej2525
02-22-2005, 03:53 PM
Originally posted by spiveyrat
I wonder if he witnessed his mother's murder and the murderer decided to "get rid of" the witness.

Just awful!:(

Read the link above for some of the details.

spiveyrat
02-22-2005, 04:02 PM
I tried. But, it wanted me to register on their site... and I don't want to.

Ranger Mom
02-22-2005, 04:03 PM
Originally posted by spiveyrat
I tried. But, it wanted me to register on their site... and I don't want to.

Me neither!!

Can you just copy and paste it here ej??

jason
02-22-2005, 04:06 PM
Man charged in death of FW mom, son

03:03 PM CST on Tuesday, February 22, 2005

By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News

Stephen Dale Barbee
Stephen Barbee

Police are working to recover the bodies of a pregnant Fort Worth woman and her 7-year-old son Tuesday, just hours after a man was arrested in Tyler and booked on a capital murder charge.

Stephen Dale Barbee, 37, of Fort Worth, was booked into the Smith County Jail at 1:15 a.m. in connection with the deaths of Lisa Underwood, 34, and her son, Jayden. Bond was set at $2 million. He was then transported back to Fort Worth and arraigned at noon.

Jones said earlier Tuesday that both bodies were found, but later said there was evidence of only one body in the wooded area in rural Denton County near Northlake, about 25 miles north of Fort Worth. Investigators were searching the area about 10 miles from where Underwood's car was found Monday, and Jones said police believe the other body is nearby.

A medical examiner was summoned to the scene as detectives raced to complete their investigation before foul weather forecast for later in the day.

"We know that Mr. Barbee and Miss Underwood were at one time romantically involved," said Fort Worth police spokesman Lt. Gene Jones. "I can't tell you what their most current relationship status was."

An arrest warrant affidavit made public Tuesday afternoon said that the Fort Worth police investigation found that Barbee was the father of Underwood's unborn child. The affidavit said that Barbee told police after his arrest in Tyler that he had argued with Lisa Underwood because he would not leave his wife. During the argument, Barbee said that Underwood kicked him in the leg. He then punched her in the face several times, causing her nose to bleed. At that point, Barbee held Underwood on the floor and suffocated her. During the fight, Jayden entered the living room screaming, and Barbee told police that he also suffocated the child. He put the bodies in the back of the SUV, drove to Denton County and dug a shallow grave.

The search warrant affidavit said that Fort Worth detectives first interviewed Barbee on Saturday evening. Barbee told police he was at his business partner's residence when the Underwoods disappeared.

Early Saturday morning, a Denton County Sheriff's deputy stopped what he believed to be a suspicious man wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans covered in gray mud. The man, who was Barbee, gave the deputy a false name and date of birth. As Deputy David Brawner approached the man at Interstate 35W and Vintage Drive, the man ran into a wooded area. Deputy Brawner searched but could not find the man.

During Fort Worth police officers’ interview with Barbee Saturday night, they asked him what he had been wearing the night before, and Barbee showed them muddy jeans and a dark shirt. The jeans were in a trashcan, and Barbee said he had thrown them away because they had a hole in the knee.

Barbee's business partner, Ron Dodd, told police that he was with Barbee during the early morning hours on Saturday. Barbee requested a ride to an elementary school on Old Denton Road. Dodd let Barbee out of the car, and later Barbee called him to come pick him up. Barbee told Dodd that he had visited a female friend he had gotten pregnant and told Dodd, "I just can't do it." Dodd assumed that meant he was going to break up with the woman.

Later, Barbee asked Dodd to take him back to the same location and dropped him off. Barbee called later and asked for him to bring him gasoline near FM 407 east of Justin. When Dodd arrived, Barbee was standing near a blue SUV, and when Dodd handed Barbee the gas can, Dodd told police he saw the bodies of a woman and boy in the back. Dodd said he became shaken and left the scene. A short time later he received another call from Barbee saying that his truck had broken down and he needed a ride.
Lisa Underwood and her son, Jayden
Courtesy
Lisa Underwood and her son, Jayden

When Dodd arrived, Barbee was being questioned by the Denton County deputy. Dodd drove away and later was called again by Barbee to be picked up. The affidavit said that's when Barbee told his business partner he had killed the woman and her child and dumped them on FM 407 at the point he had run out of gas.

Debbie Lindley, one of Underwood's neighbors whose 7-year-old son grew up with Jayden and played with him regularly, said Barbee and Underwood had split in the fall because Barbee had another girlfriend, but she didn't know of any violent incidents between the couple.

Lindley said Underwood met Barbee about two years ago at a bagel shop she owned. She said Jayden had never met Barbee; the boy always stayed at the Lindleys' house when they went on dates.

Underwood was a devoted single mother who worked Monday through Saturday at the bagel shop and spent the rest of her time with her son, who recently started playing soccer and being involved with Cub Scouts, Lindley said.

Lindley said she's had a difficult time explaining things to her son, Nicholas.

"He saw the news last night and said he missed Jayden and said maybe they had gone camping, and that maybe crooks had taken their camping gear and that's why nobody could find them," Lindley said.

Jayden Underwood was a first-grader at North Riverside Elementary School in the Keller school district.

"This is a sensless tragedy," said Keller school district spokesman Jason Meyer. "Jayden Underwood was a well-loved student, and he and his mother were part of the North Riverside family."

Lisa Underwood served on the school's Campus Education Improvement Committee.

The school district has had counselors on the campus and will keep them there through the week to help children deal with Jayden's death.

"We have TAKS testing going on this week so we are trying to provide as normal an atmosphere as possible but it's difficult," Mr. Meyer said.

Underwood and her son were reported missing on Saturday after they failed to appear at a baby shower at Underwood's bagel shop in Fort Worth. A pool of blood was found in her home, but there was no sign of forced entry, police said.

Underwood's sport utility vehicle was discovered abandoned in a creek bed in Denton on Monday.

Early Tuesday morning, acting on a tip, police searched a house in the 4100 block of Walnut Creek Court at The Hills at Fossil Creek subdivision in North Fort Worth. Investigators removed some material and confirmed they found what they had been looking for, but they would not be more specific.

No one was at home during the search.

Underwood was seven months pregnant. The disappearance of Jayden and his mother triggered an Amber Alert.

Well wishes and several notes piled up at the bagel shop where Underwood is a co-owner with Holly Pils, who said she last spoke with Underwood on Friday night.

A large brown teddy bear was placed on a table by a window. One of the notes said, "God bless Lisa and her two little angels."

ej2525
02-22-2005, 04:34 PM
Thanks Jason...

AP Panther Fan
02-22-2005, 04:43 PM
truth is stranger than fiction.... and very, very sad in this case.:(

Bullaholic
02-22-2005, 05:19 PM
BEER FOR MY HORSES by Toby Keith

Well a man come on the 6 o’clock news
Said somebody’s been shot, somebody’s been abused
Somebody blew up a building
Somebody stole a car
Somebody got away
Somebody didn’t get too far yeah
They didn’t get too far

Grandpappy told my pappy, back in my day, son
A man had to answer for the wicked that he done
Take all the rope in texas
Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys
Hang them high in the street for all the people to see that

Chorus:

Justice is the one thing you should always find
You got to saddle up your boys
You got to draw a hard line
When the gun smoke settles we’ll sing a victory tune
We’ll all meet back at the local saloon
We’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces
Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses

We got too many gangsters doing dirty deeds
We’ve got too much corruption, too much crime in the streets
It’s time the long arm of the law put a few more in the ground
Send ’em all to their maker and he’ll settle ’em down
You can bet he’ll set ’em down ’cause


I deplore the taking of human life, but you begin to feel that maybe Toby Kieth's song needs to become reality in an instance such as this....

Bandera YaYa
02-22-2005, 06:23 PM
This guy told police he strangled her because "she kicked him"..............like he thinks his actions were justified ....so he shows them where the bodies are.....like he thinks he'll get off because, after all, she started it!! This is what scares me....so many totally ignorant, uneducated (I'd be willing to bet)....I better stop before I say something and get kicked off here........ :mad:

bullfrog_alumni_02
02-22-2005, 06:32 PM
its a sad state of affairs when things like this happen. it breaks my heart a million times over when i hear about things like this. i cant imagine how the family of the people feel after hearing from the police that someone hey love is gone. i know they will be in my prayers aswell as there being justice in this heinous crime so that it never again happens.

LH Panther Mom
02-22-2005, 07:23 PM
This just makes me sick. My heart goes out to all the loved ones.

I'm with Bubba Joe on the punishment.

NSUTrumpet08
02-22-2005, 08:00 PM
This is just terrible...it seems more and more of these types of murders are happening...what's this country coming to?

bullfrog_alumni_02
02-22-2005, 08:11 PM
I have to agree w/ bubba-joe on this one aswell. Texas used to be known for demanding respect in upholding the law. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth right?

Bubba-Joe
02-22-2005, 09:04 PM
I hope and pray he gets some high price uptight lawyer, who wants a change of venue in the case and the SOB gets the case moved out to oh say Midland County or Howard County maybe Tom Green County or better yet bring it to Nolan or Scurry County.
Then call me of some of my like minded friends for Jury duty.

We can be very open to all the facts of the case listen patiently and show no emotion as his Top notch City lawyer/ defense team try and get him off.

Then as they drag him kickin and screamin to the injection room I will volunteer to put the neddle in his arm, and smile a smile that WEST TEXAS JUSTICE has been served to you buddy.

But I tell you folks
Lethal injection is too easy.
Try this out for size.....

Give him DEATH or near death every time the sun rises, what I mean is that every day he sits on death row ...
drag his sorry arse out to a stock tank, hold his head under the water till he is just about to drown - then bring him back up and give him CPR. walk him back to his cell, and start the next day the same way.

EVERY STINKIN DAY OF HIS WORTHLESS LIFE HE WILL WAKE WANTING TO HAVE IT END.....

Give him the NEAR DEATH treatment until all appeal are exhausted

Then on his judgement day. HANG HIM HIGH and post the picture of his body in every County Jail in Texas, so as to detour any one else from committing the same type of crime

Bubba-Joe
02-23-2005, 08:44 AM
ttt

Bubba-Joe
02-24-2005, 09:55 AM
FORT WORTH -- Lisa Underwood loved working at the bagel shop she co-owned with her best friend, but motherhood came first.

Underwood, 34, was devoted to her 7-year-old son and excited about having a baby girl in less than two months. She was planning to raise her daughter without help from the father, Stephen Dale Barbee, friends say.

"She was warm and loving, but she was also very independent," said Leah Huff, a friend and longtime customer at Boopa's Bagel Deli. "She raised Jayden by herself, and Jayden was awesome. Being a single mother was no big deal to her."

That's why many of Underwood's friends are stunned that Barbee told police, according to documents released Tuesday, that he suffocated the pregnant woman and her son after an argument about his refusal to leave his wife.

Barbee, 37, was charged with capital murder after Fort Worth police found him and questioned him in Tyler, where he had been working clearing trees. After his arrest and en route to jail in Fort Worth, police took Barbee to a rural area of Denton County near Northlake, about 25 miles north of Fort Worth, and he led them to the bodies, authorities said.

On Wednesday, Barbee's friend, Ronald Dodd, 33, of Haslet, 16 miles northwest of Fort Worth, was arrested for a parole violation. Jail officials said they had no information on the type of parole violation. Police say Dodd earlier had told investigators that he saw the bodies in the back of Underwood's vehicle early Saturday and that Barbee told him what happened.

Barbee was married from 1996 until 2003, and the couple had no children, The Dallas Morning News reported. Barbee was the subject of a paternity suit by a Granbury woman in 1993, but details weren't immediately available, the newspaper reported.

In December, Barbee married again after dating a woman a little more than a year, one of his business associates said. He apparently worked for a concrete sawing and drilling company in Haslet until a few months ago.

Barbee's former neighbors in Haslet said he repeatedly set large trees on fire near his yard and then left. He became upset when neighbors called the fire department, resident Tim Howsman said.

"He didn't have a clue of what was acceptable behavior. He's someone who made snap decisions and would hold a grudge," Howsman told the newspaper.

Debbie Lindley, one of Underwood's neighbors, said her friend met Barbee about two years ago at the bagel store. The couple split in the fall because Barbee had another girlfriend, Lindley said, adding that she didn't know of any violent incidents between Barbee and Underwood.

About 200 people gathered Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil outside the bagel shop, where they placed dozens of balloons, bouquets, cards and pictures of the victims.

Underwood was remembered as a caring mother and businesswoman who knew most customers' names and orders. Jayden was remembered as a bright child with big brown eyes and glasses who loved video games, soccer, riding his bicycle and Cub Scouts.

On a driveway across from Underwood's house, neighborhood children scrawled messages in pink, yellow and blue chalk, outlined in hearts: "We miss you" and "We love you Lisa and Jayden."

Ranger Mom
02-24-2005, 09:59 AM
Looking at the clips they have shown on TV, he just looks evil.

No remorse whatsoever in those cold dead eyes!

AP Panther Fan
02-24-2005, 10:01 AM
"That's why many of Underwood's friends are stunned that Barbee told police, according to documents released Tuesday, that he suffocated the pregnant woman and her son after an argument about his refusal to leave his wife."


You know, anyone that can murder is probably a big, fat liar as well!:mad: