http://www.statesman.com/news/conte...0508homicide.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=52
A Williamson County grand jury returned an indictment Thursday charging the former wife of John David Blattner and her current husband with shooting Blattner to death on March 28.
District Judge Burt Carnes set bail at $1 million each for Jennifer Johnson Bowen, 28, and Charles Kevin Bowen, 41, both of Taylor, who were arrested Thursday and being held in the county jail shortly after their indictments were returned.
In a two-count capital murder indictment, the grand jury charged that the Bowens killed Blattner with a firearm in the course of committing or attempting a robbery or a kidnapping, or in retaliation against Blattner.
Blattner, 39, a commercial painter with four children, was last seen by family members March 28 at his apartment in Round Rock. Volunteers on horseback found his body April 11 in a remote part of eastern Williamson County. At the time, investigators did not disclose the cause of his death nor would they say what led searchers to the area where his body was discovered.
On Thursday, District Attorney John Bradley declined to shed further light on the investigation. He said he did not want his comments to prejudice potential jurors or to provide grounds for moving the trial out of the county.
"We want to make sure that we hold a fair trial here in Williamson County," Bradley said in a written statement. "To do that, it is very important that potential jurors come to court with an open mind about the evidence that supports these indictments."
The Bowens intend to plead not guilty to capital murder, attorney Robert Phillips said in a written statement Thursday. "We fully expect them to be vindicated after all the evidence is presented in court," he said. The statement said that neither the Bowens nor their attorneys would discuss the details of the case.
It was not clear Thursday night how long Blattner was married to the now Jennifer Bowen or when they divorced.
According to an obituary in the American-Statesman, Blattner worked for Hagler & Kerr, a commercial painting company in Austin. He was a graduate of Round Rock High School and enjoyed taking trips with his children, Amber, Ashley, Travis and Amanda.
I like to slap that smile right off her face.
