Seems like a murder without a body case.
People v. Fauber (1992), Supreme Court of California
law.justia.com
Jack Dowdy, Jr., was a longtime friend of the defendant's. Dowdy married K Dowdy in 1984, became romantically involved with P L in 1985, and left his wife in February 1986 to live with L. K took care of their son.
On Sunday, May 11, 1986, at Dowdy's parents' home in Espanola, New Mexico, L overheard a conversation between defendant and Dowdy. Defendant accused Dowdy of ruining things for him because Dowdy had K's son with him, so K would not go with defendant to Albuquerque. Defendant said he was going to take K to Albuquerque and kill her the following afternoon. After this incident, Dowdy and L drove to Albuquerque, where Dowdy was to attend a union trade school for five days.
Dowdy had arranged to stay with his cousin, J S, from May 11 to May 15 while he attended school. Dowdy dropped L off at her mother's house in Albuquerque on the evening of May 11 and stayed with S that night. On May 12, Dowdy attended school. He never returned to S's house, where he had left two boxes of clothes, nor did he ever contact L again. On May 13, L found Dowdy's car parked at the Penguin Lounge, across from the union school. His school books were in the car.
Defendant replied he had no feelings and didn't care if she dropped dead. He said, "I even killed Bubs." (Jack Dowdy, Jr., was nicknamed Bubs.)
J D, Dowdy's sister, testified that after a family gathering, she saw defendant make a motion toward Dowdy with his hand inside his pocket, where Ms. D knew defendant kept a gun
