Two charged with capital murder

By Linda Perkins

Anvil Herald Reporter

Medina County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by Corpus Christi Police, on April 8, arrested 29-year-old Cassandra Lange and 32-year-old Joby Williams for the Capital Murder of Multiple Persons for the murders of Stephen and Cherry Rehbein at the couple’s residence in the 3300 block of CR 265 in Mico.

The two suspects were arrested after Lange confessed that on April 6 she and Williams had killed her biological mother. Around 7 p.m., when her stepfather returned home from work, Lange said she and Williams killed him as well, then disposed of the couple’s bodies in a ravine.

“This (investigation) started on April 8 when Stephen Rehbein failed to show up at work and a co-worker walked into our office (about 12:15 p.m.) with concerns about his friend/co-worker not showing up for work,” said Sheriff Randy Brown during a press conference Friday afternoon, April 10 at the Medina County Devine Annex.

“When a deputy dispatched to the residence arrived, he couldn’t find anybody. He knocked on the door and looked around the premises. While he was walking out, the deputy looked in a trash can at the curb and observed some bloody items.

“So, he called, and CID investigators and we all showed up and found more evidence (that) possible foul play had occurred there at the residence. From that, we secured a search warrant,” Sheriff Brown said.

“While conducting the search warrant, we found more evidence and put together information that identified several vehicles: some still on the property, but one was missing. 

“By using available technology, we located that vehicle in Corpus Christi and reached out to our partners in the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD). Their gang unit got on it right away, and after a few minutes, located the vehicle and pulled it over. Inside the vehicle were a male, a female and two children. One of the children was one month old. 

“By then we had learned more about whom we were looking for. Rehbein’s wife was not at the residence, so at that point, we had two people missing.

In Corpus Christi, the CCPD Gang Unit had eyes on the vehicle and watched as Williams and Lange unhitched a cargo box trailer in a parking lot. After the couple drove around a little bit, CCPD pulled them over.”

At this point, one of Sheriff Brown’s chief deputies and a Texas Ranger took off for Corpus to interview the couple.

Authorities identified the female in the vehicle as Cassandra Lange, the biological daughter of 55-year-old Cherry Rehbein, wife of 58-year-old Stephen Rehbein, who were both missing.

According to the sheriff, “This investigation had started with the deputies on the scene around 1 p.m., and by approximately 7 p.m., we had both suspects in custody.”

When asked about motive, Sheriff Brown replied, “I’m not going to speculate about motive at this point, but when the couple left the residence, several items belonging to Lange’s mother were missing. Also stolen were guns, money, tools and the vehicle. 

“Whether the motive might have been theft,” he said, “we don’t know yet.

“I can tell you, that while she was being interviewed, Lange confessed she and Williams killed her mother and stepfather (on Monday, April 6) and disposed of both their bodies in a ravine.

“She confessed,” said Sheriff Brown, “and he halfway confessed.”

When investigators in Medina County received this information, an intensive search began immediately in the Medina Lake area.

This proved challenging, Sheriff Brown said, because there are many ravines in that area, and nighttime was closing in. After several hours, one of the deputies saw something on the roadside that caught his attention and he alerted the sheriff and other deputies. 

“With great difficulty, we made our way down over rough terrain, through thick cedar trees and brush approximately 70 feet until we finally reached the bottom of the deep ravine off of FM 1283. There, we found the Rehbeins’ bodies concealed in two, large, black garbage bags. By this time it was the morning of April 9.

“Not visible from the roadway, the location was discovered only by the deputy’s careful observation.”

With assistance from ESD Fire personnel, they recovered the bodies and transported them to the Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.

Corpus Christi officers took Cassandra Lange and Joby Williams into custody and charged both with Capital Murder of Multiple Persons for the murders of Stephen and Cherry Rehbein.

That night (April 8), Williams remained in custody in Nueces County and Lange was transported to Medina County Jail.

The stolen vehicle and trailer used to transport stolen goods from the Rehbein home were also brought back to Medina County.

The six-year-old and one-month-old children, placed with Child Protective Services, are being united with family members. 

“The bodies might never have been found,” explained Sheriff Brown, “without the swift coordination and diligent efforts of all agencies that led to the rapid development of this case and apprehension of the suspects.”

As the Anvil Herald went to press, Lange remained in custody in Medina County Jail charged with Capital Murder of Multiple Persons for the murders of Stephen and Cherry Rehbein. Williams has been transferred to Medina County Jail from  Nueces County on the same charge. Surety bonds of $1 million per suspect were upgraded.