Four days into searching for her pregnant half-sister, Phaedra Wais trudged through a rugged, wet jungle on Maui to chase a new lead in the disappearance. Following a locator ping from a cellphone, the 16-year-old found a skirt, shirt and bra stained with blood that belonged to her sister. The discovery all but ended the family's hopes that 27-year-old Carly "Charli" Scott was still alive. Later, at the same site, police found the missing woman's jawbone, marking the latest twist in the case that led to a murder charge against Scott's ex-boyfriend and the father of her unborn child.
Steven Capobianco is accused of killing Scott and burning her vehicle to cover up the crime. A Maui grand jury indicted him last week on charges of murder and arson, saying he intentionally or knowingly caused Scott's death "in an especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner, manifesting exceptional depravity." He has pleaded not guilty.
The finding of the jawbone helped authorities file the murder charge, a person familiar with the investigation said Wednesday. The person, who was not authorized to discuss the case, declined to reveal exactly how authorities linked the jawbone to Capobianco.
IN-DEPTH
- The Associated Press
