BREAKING | Spraberry charged with capital murder in March double homicide

Charles Obin Spraberry
Charles Obin Spraberry

LINDEN, Texas -- An inmate who escaped from the Cass County jail in August is now suspected in the deaths of two people whose badly burned bodies were discovered earlier this year.

Charles Obin Spraberry, 44, was arrested Thursday by the Sheriff's Office and charged with capital murder in the deaths of John Thomas Jr. and Jennifer Archer, according to Cass County District Attorney Courtney Shelton.

Thomas and Archer's charred bodies were found in Thomas' burned camper March 11 on County Road 4667 near Bivins, Texas. The pair had been shot, Shelton said.

Spraberry was identified as a person of interest early in the investigation. He was arrested in DeRidder, Louisiana, several days after the bodies were discovered.

"Investigators believe they have recovered the gun that was used to shoot both John Thomas, Jr and Jennifer Archer," Shelton said. "Additionally, evidence obtained from cellphone records, forensic evidence, witness statements and Spraberry's own statement to law enforcement are what ultimately led to his arrest."

Spraberry has been in Cass County custody since March on several felony assault charges. He also is charged with first-degree felony escape, first-degree burglary of a habitation, assault on a public servant, unauthorized use of a vehicle and theft of a firearm stemming from an Aug. 29 escape from the county jail.

Spraberry fled from the jail after allegedly attacking a male guard with a homemade knife and forcing a female guard to open a door to the outside, according to earlier reports. The male jailer needed three stitches to close the wound to his face.

On Aug. 30, Caddo Parish deputies captured Spraberry near Mooringsport, Louisiana, about 40 southeast of Linden. He reportedly was driving a Cadillac SUV he allegedly stole from an unoccupied house near Linden.

Shea Smith, 37, was a passenger in the SUV. She was arrested by Caddo deputies on a charge of possession of stolen property and later released after posting bail. She was later arrested by Cass County on charges of burglary of a habitation, theft of a firearm, unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, bringing a controlled substance into a jail and aiding a felon.

Bail for Spraberry is $1.1 million on his previous charges. Arraingment is pending on the capital murder charge.

Smith remains in jail on a total bail of $650,000.

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