Bodies still missing, but capital murder case moves forward

LINDEN, Texas — Two men are charged in Cass County with capital murder in the deaths of a man and woman who went missing in 2018 and whose remains have not been recovered.

Gary Edward Shepard, 50, of Bivins, Texas, and his nephew, Kevin Dewayne Shepard Jr., 29, of Atlanta, Texas, were indicted Sept. 30 by a Cass County grand jury on a charge of capital murder in the deaths of Donnie Combs and Cynthia Arnold. Combs and Arnold have been missing since Sept. 25, 2018, according to Cass County District Attorney Courtney Shelton.

Shelton said remains have not been recovered.

Kevin Shepard, who is currently in the Cass County jail on an unrelated charge, was served with the capital murder warrant Tuesday morning.

Gary Shephard was taken into custody in Arkansas on Monday with the help of the U.S. Marshall’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit.

Gary Shepard is also facing a charge of sexual assault for which he was indicted Sept. 30 in Cass County but which is unrelated to the alleged murders.

Gary Shepard is currently being held in the Washington County, Arkansas, jail awaiting extradition to Texas.

Shelton said in a press release that investigators believe Gary Shepard directed Kevin Shepard to kill Combs because he believed Combs was going to be a witness for the state against Gary Shepard in an “ongoing felony theft case.”

Arnold is believed to have been collateral damage with Combs the target of the deadly violence.

Kevin Shepard is expected to appear this week before 5th District Judge Bill Miller. Gary Shepard’s appearance before Miller will be scheduled once he is in Texas custody. Bail for both uncle and nephew is set at $1.5 million. Gary Shepard’s bond on the unrelated sexual assault charge is set at $500,000.

Capital murder is punishable in Texas by life without the possibility of parole or death by lethal injection.

The missing persons and murder case are being investigated by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, investigators with the Cass County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers.