Updated: Friday, 20 Nov 2009, 8:12 PM EST
Published : Friday, 20 Nov 2009, 11:29 AM EST
Megan Stembol
COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (WANE) - The Whitley County Prosecutor has charged Rodney Houser with the murder of his ex-wife, Debra Houser. Houser has been missing since Wednesday. Authorities in Northeast Indiana believe Rodney Houser killed Debra Houser on November 17 or 18.
Cadaver dogs from the Huntington County Emergency Management Department joined the massive 3-day search for Debra Houser's body on Friday. The body is presumed to be somewhere in rural Whitley County, near the rental home the couple shared.
In a probable cause affidavit filed Friday, November 20, by the Whitley County Prosecuting Attorney, a confidential informant came to the Whitley County Sheriff's Department on November 18 and stated that Rodney Houser came to the informant's home in Waynedale in Fort Wayne and asked him to dispose of a bag of items and help him get rid of a Dodge Durango he was driving. Click on the probable cause affidavit under the video player to read the document.
Houser then took the bag and threw it away in a dumpster at the informant's home. Afterwards, the two drove to an American Legion Post where Houser took the license plate off the Durango and left the SUV in the parking lot.
During a ride back to Houser's home in Whitley County, the informant said Houser told him that he had killed his ex-wife, Debra Houser, and needed help burying her body which had been hidden a short distance from the home.
When they arrived at the Whitley County home, Houser got out of the informant's vehicle and said he was going in to change clothes and get a shovel. It was then the informant drove to the Whitley County Sheriff's Department to report what Houser had told him.
After the informant's report, Sheriff Mark Hodges went to the home, located at 4140 West Old Trail Road , where Houser was last seen and placed him into his custody.
The affidavit indicates Houser told the sheriff that Debra went to work early that day and he had not seen her since. Employees at the Post and Mail , where Ms. Houser worked, told authorities that she had not come to work, nor did she call in.
An interview with Debra's daughter revealed that Mr. Houser had been staying with Ms. Houser for about a month and a half, despite the fact that they had been divorced for several years. The two are parents to a nine-year-old boy.
The affidavit also included information about a bag that had been found inside the dumpster that the informant said had been put there by Houser. The bag contained Debra's purse, cell phone, women's pants, men's pants and shirt which had what appeared to be fresh blood stains, as well as a pair of cowboy boots.
Ms. Houser's body has not yet been found, but police continue to search the area around the home. The affidavit stated that all evidence indicates that Debra Houser is deceased.
Houser is scheduled to have an initial hearing on Monday, November 23, 2009.
Debra Houser was a mother of three. Co-workers at Post and Mail, a Columbia City newspaper , said Houser was an extraordinary generous person.
Bob Ewing, the mailroom manager at the Post and Mail, said Houser had worked there for about a year, and had made a big impression on her co-workers. Ewing said it wasn't unusual for Houser to buy a bag of groceries if a co-worker was in need. Ewing also said Houser helped organize a fundraiser for a co-worker facing eviction.
"She was a real hard worker," said Ewing. "She never missed work. She volunteered for any overtime. She was just a great person."
Carl Abbott said Houser was a great cook, that made everyone feel welcome. Abbott's son is married to one of Houser's grown daughters. Abbott shared some holiday dinners and cook-outs with Houser.
"Every time we had a meal, even when I brought my grandkids, she made them feel like they were part of the family," said Abbott, through tears.
Debra Houser was open with co-workers about her relationship with her ex-husband, Rodney Houser. She said he had abused her in the past. The couple had been divorced for about five years.
The Whitley County Sheriff's Department says the search for Deb Houser's body will continue on Saturday morning.
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