After seven years on the run, a man accused of killing his wife in front of their two children is now in prison.
Jonathan Bates’ 18-month murder charge came to an end Tuesday after he was booked into Dawson County on Tuesday just before 4 p.m.
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It’s been a long wait for Cynde Bates’ family. She was murdered in 2017.
Now that Bates is in jail, they hope for justice.
Channel 2’s Candace McCowan was live in Dallas WSB Tonight at 11pm on Tuesday.
New developments indicate he was still living in metro Atlanta.
The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office posted a photo and said their SWAT team along with U.S. Marshalls arrested Bates, who has a long list of charges including felony murder and cruelty to children.
For Cynde Bates’ family, it has been a long and painful wait.
According to investigators, the mother of two was pushed by her husband Jonathan in 2017 and then fell down the stairs in their Dallas home.
She later died in hospital from blunt force trauma to the back of her head.
Jonathan Bates was initially charged; the charges were dropped by one judge, but he was later indicted. In the fall of 2022, Jonathan was scheduled to appear in court, but he failed to show up and has been on the run ever since.
Cynde’s family spoke to Channel 2 Action News years after he failed to show up for that court hearing. They were angry that he was out of jail at all.
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“How can someone get out of jail on a low bond for a murder?” asked Stormie Dement, Cynde’s sister. “He couldn’t bear the fact that she wanted to leave and take the children with her.”
Dement said she might get closure once he has a trial.
“Once he goes through his trial and he goes to prison, I think that’s when my closure can end,” Dement said.
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