Marvin Gail Owens: Man Faces Murder Charges 37 Years After His Wife Went Missing

A 62-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his wife nearly 40 years after the crime was allegedly committed. According to ABC News, Marvin Gail Owens was arrested by officials in Keith County, Nebraska after an arrest warrant was issued against him in California. Investigating officers have arrested Marvin after they found fresh leads that point towards the possibility of Owens being the killer. Investigators also believe Owens disposed off his wife’s body – which incidentally has never been found.

According to SF Gate, Marvin Gail Owens’ wife, Deborah Diane Owens, was last seen at her residence at Crestridge Drive in Oroville, California on the morning of November 19, 1978. Marvin officially lodged a complaint about her being missing two days later. This has been confirmed by Sgt. Jason Hail, a spokesman for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Deborah has never been seen ever since. While investigators did suspect Marvin to be behind Deborah’s sudden disappearance, they did not have any evidence against him.

At this stage, it is unclear as to what specific evidence has led to Marvin’s arrest, 37 years later. What we now know is that some kind of evidence was recovered from Marvin’s old home in Oroville. Investigators also conducted interviews with the two daughters the couple had for a fresh perspective on the case.

Sgt Hail has told ABC News how important the interviews with Marvin’s daughters were.

“It was important for us to talk to them about things told to them as they grew up about their mom. That’s certainly a factor in all of this.”

Following the interview, Marvin Gail Owens was arrested by investigators from Butte County Sheriff’s Office. The investigators were in possession of an arrest warrant issued against Marvin. Following his arrest in Keith County, Nebraska where he had been living, Marvin would be extradited to California for further questioning. Before that, he is scheduled to appear at a Keith County courtroom today.

To make matters worse for Marvin, investigators also suspect Owens to be behind the disappearance of another woman from the area in the same year. According to NY Daily News, Essie Margarette Hiett, a woman who worked as a waitress and a bartender at a local pub was also reported missing from February 13, 1978. Her disappearance too remains a mystery and her body was never found. Police did recover her car and a few personal belongings from a ditch.

The news of the arrest of Marvin Gail Owens comes just a day after the Inquisitr reported about Derrick Deacon – a NYC man who was wrongly lodged in a jail for 26 years – for a crime he did not commit.

[Images Via Butte County Sheriff’s Office]