Jonathan Warren, Morgan Bauer, Katelyn Goble (image of victim via City of Porterdale Police Department; images of suspects from Newton County Sheriff's Office)
The two suspects in the 2016 disappearance and death of Atlanta, Georgia, 19-year-old Morgan Bauer have now been indicted for murder, and it's alleged that the victim was strangled to death, cut up, burned, and violated after she was killed.
The arrests of Jonathan Warren, 33, and Katelyn Goble, 27, in California and Illinois were announced back in August, more than seven years after Morgan Bauer was last seen alive in February 2016 leaving a nightclub where she danced — just days days after she moved from South Dakota with $20 to her name.
While Warren initially faced charges for murder, aggravated assault, concealing a death, and tampering with evidence, Goble was accused of concealing a death and tampering with evidence. In both of their Newton County cases, the charges are much more serious now, as the indictments obtained by Law&Crime show.
Warren and Goble face charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and concealing the death of another.
Specifically, both defendants are accused murdering Bauer by placing their hands around her neck. The alleged aggravated assault (strangulation) is the underlying offense for the felony murder charge. Most seriously, both suspects are accused of causing Bauer's death "with malice aforethought" by "strangulation and other means unknown to the Grand Jury."
After the murder, Warren and Goble allegedly cut up and burned the victim's remains to conceal Bauer's death or to hinder the discovery of whether she was unlawfully killed.
In addition, Warren is accused of necrophilia.
"Jonathan Alexander Warren 'Alex' and Katelyn Goble are now both in Newton County, GA and are being held without bond," Bauer's mother Sherri Keenan said in a Facebook post about the indictments. "I can't express the gratitude knowing they are in protective custody in Georgia."
Keenan said that she and family members "are going through a devastating time" but are hopeful that "everyone is doing all they can to see that Morgan gets the justice she deserves."
Morgan Bauer's mother also thanked everyone who has supported and offered prayers for her daughter.
"I want to thank you all for being here and supporting Morgan Bauer. You don't know what it means to each of us knowing that you care for her so deeply," Keenan said. "Thank you for your prayers, loving thoughts and your patience. We appreciate you more than you know 🙏🏿🙏🏼🙏🏾💚 #missingmorgan"
Follow Law&Crime:
