A Missouri man is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend after allegedly forcing her to watch him and his new girlfriend dig her grave.
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Tony Lawrence Charboneau and Brandi Luffy, both residents of Sullivan, have been charged with murder and related offenses in connection with the death of Charboneau’s ex-girlfriend on June 20. Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Jones announced the charges in a release per the NY Post on Monday, August 5.
Washington County Sheriff Zach Jacobsen identified the victim as Amy Hogue, 43, as first reported by KSDK.
Her family also confirmed her identity via a GoFundMe they established to cover her funeral costs. As of this writing, the campaign has only raised $2,655 of a modest $5,000 goal.
Authorities initiated a search for Hogue after her disappearance in mid-June near the community of Redwoods. On August 2, Hogue was discovered deceased. Her body was located in a shallow grave near Charboneau’s residence, according to the prosecuting attorney’s statement.
The Prosecutor Alleges the Murder Victim was Bound to a Wheelchair While the Suspects Dug Her Grave
According to probable cause statements submitted to the Associate Circuit Court of Washington County, Charboneau allegedly “punched and stomped on the victim, a former girlfriend, on June 20, 2024, following a verbal argument.” This account is based on Luffy’s disclosure to law enforcement, as noted in the release.
Following the alleged assault, Luffy reportedly informed the police that she assisted Charboneau in placing Hogue into a wheelchair. They then secured her with ratchet straps, according to the probable cause statements.
“According to Luffy, she and Charboneau moved the victim to a spot in the woods. Charboneau shot the victim in the head, then buried her,” the prosecutor alleged in the statements.
“Luffy confessed to acting as lookout while Charboneau shot and buried the victim, then helping Charboneau to destroy the ratchet straps and a tarp used in the crime and dispose of the victim’s purse,” the prosecutor claimed.
Sheriff’s deputies subsequently discovered the grave. It held the remains of the victim, marked by a bullet hole in her skull.
Charboneau faces serious charges, including first-degree murder, first-degree domestic assault, first-degree kidnapping, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to the release.
Meanwhile, Luffy faces serious charges including felony murder, first-degree kidnapping, abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence in relation to a felony prosecution, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
As this case is sensationalized by those of us in the media, the victim’s family is coping with the tragedy.
“We are all devastated,” Hogue’s daughter-in-law Taylor Crider wrote on the GoFundMe. “Amy in no way deserved what happened to her,” she added.
The suspects are currently held at the Washington County Jail, with each facing a bond of $1 million.