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Bodies of mother, son found in Justin (BREAKING TX)
Star-Telegram ^ | Feb. 22, 2005 | By Deanna Boyd and Melody McDonald

Posted on 02/22/2005 10:09:10 AM PST by Dubya

FORT WORTH -- The bodies of a missing seven-months pregnant woman and her 7-year-old son were found Tuesday morning off Farm Road 407 in Justin, just hours after police arrested a Fort Worth man charged with capital murder in their disappearance.

It was not immediately disclosed how Lisa Underwood, 34, and her son, Jayden, were killed.

Stephen Barbee, 37, who previously had been romatically involved with Underwood, was taken into custody in Tyler and held initially with bail set at $2 million. He was later released to Fort Worth police and transported back to Tarrant County.

Police on Monday found Underwood's Dodge Durango abandoned in a creek bed off Farm Road 2449, just east of Interstate 35W in Denton County, about 10 miles north of where the bodies were found.

Lt. Gene Jones confirmed an arrest had been made in the case but declined to comment further.

Sources said major case detectives traveled to Tyler on Monday night by helicopter after requesting that Tyler police locate Barbee and take him to their headquarters to be interviewed by Fort Worth police.

It was unknown how police knew Barbee was in Tyler.

About the same time that Tyler police were taking Barbee into custody, Fort Worth police raided a residence in the 4100 block of Walnut Creek in north Fort Worth, a home where Barbee lived with a woman named Trish.

A neighbor who did not want to be identified said she was awakened by flashing police lights and noise about 3 a.m. Tuesday. She said officers went to the back of the residence and later came out the front carrying four or five bags of evidence.

The house, she said, had been under police surveillance since Sunday with officers in unmarked police vehicles cruising through the neighborhood.

About 8 p.m. Sunday, she said, officers came to her home asking "when was the last time I saw them and what kind of cars did they drive." She said she told them she last saw Barbee earlier Sunday.

At 11 a.m. Monday, she said, she saw officers rummaging through trash bags that had been set curbside outside the residence.

The discovery comes more than three days after relatives last heard from the 34-year-old mother, seven months pregnant with her second child.

Police issued an Amber Alert for the mother and son Saturday after relatives discovered a pool of blood inside Underwood's north Fort Worth home and noticed her sport utility vehicle missing.

On Monday, the search for the pair shifted to Denton after authorities found Underwood's blue 2002 Dodge Durango abandoned in a creek bed off Farm Road 2449, just east of Interstate 35W.

The search ended about 6:30 p.m. Monday before resuming this morning.

Party planned

Saturday was supposed to be a day of celebration.

Underwood is expecting a little girl, and her friends and family had planned to throw her a baby shower at Boopa's Bagel Deli, which she co-owns with her best friend, Holly Pils.

Marla Hess, who had traveled from Wichita Falls for the shower, looked forward to prying out of Underwood the name she had chosen for her unborn child.

Because "Jayden" is such an unusual name, family and friends assumed that Underwood had also picked an unconventional name for her daughter.

"She had a name that she wasn't going to tell us," Hess said. "We were going to try to make her."

But Underwood never made it to the party.

A farmer discovered the SUV about 8:28 a.m. Monday and called Denton police.

Throughout the day Monday, searchers scoured nearby pastures and wooded areas, some in helicopters, others on horseback and on foot with trained scent dogs.

Kamper said searchers found the keys to Underwood's SUV but declined to comment on whether they found blood in the vehicle or other evidence inside it.

The area where the SUV was found is largely isolated farmland, although signs along Farm Road 2449 point the way to a new housing subdivision just to the north. Monday afternoon, dozens of patrol vehicles, unmarked cars and media trucks lined the rural road.

Meanwhile, about 30 miles away, more police vehicles and yellow crime scene tape encircled the Underwoods' modest red brick home in the 3700 block of Chaddybrook Lane.

Neighbors talked quietly outside their homes as children rode bikes and drew on the sidewalks with colored chalk.

"They are awesome," said neighbor Vicki Wilson. "They are the nicest people anyone would want to meet. They are very, very sweet."

Wilson said Jayden and the other neighborhood children often played soccer together or came to her house to play on the swing set or swim in her pool.

Jayden was "kind of shy, but ... a smart, intelligent, happy little boy," Wilson said.

Jayden was a first-grader at North Riverside Elementary School. Today, extra counselors will be on hand to talk to the students, said Jason Meyer, a spokesman of the Keller school district.

Customers knew 'Boopa'

Outside Boopa's Bagel Deli, well-wishers left messages and trinkets of hope.

A large brown teddy bear, several notes and balloons graced the window.

Scrawled in colored markers were the words "God Bless Lisa and her two little angels." Another one read: "We're praying for you! Lisa, Jayden and Baby Underwood."

A lined piece of notebook paper bore a child's handwriting: "I'm sure she's OK. I miss her as much as you do. I hope you're going to be OK."

It was signed with a heart and a face with a frown.

Pils said Lisa Underwood had named her bagel shop "Boopa" after a nickname that her mother, Sheila, had bestowed upon her grandson.

Jayden expressed pride in having his nickname adorn his mother's business.

"He wanted to be referred to as one of the owners because he said, 'My name is on the building,'" Pils said.

Deli customers knew Jayden and often asked for him by name.

"They would say, 'Is Boopa here today?'" Pils said.

Pils said that Jayden often passed the time helping her and his mother in the shop, in Fossil Creek Plaza at Western Center Boulevard and Beach Street.

"He would sweep better than our employees," she said. "He loved being at the bagel shop, he was just a real special guy. I love being around him. He is a joy, just a complete joy."

Pils said Underwood has worked hard to provide for her son, who is active in Cub Scouts and soccer and can easily beat Pils at chess.

"He was a wonderful child because she was a wonderful mother."

Pils said Underwood has been looking forward to becoming a mother a second time.

"She felt like, 'I have a perfect boy. Now, I want a perfect girl,'" she said.

Staff Writers Kelly Melhart and Alex Branch Contributed to This Report Deanna Boyd, (817) 390-7655 dboyd@star-telegram.com


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: lisaunderwood
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To: yellowdoghunter
At what point do we start telling women to pick better men?

At what point do we start telling men to be better protectors of women and children?

341 posted on 02/22/2005 12:05:51 PM PST by ValerieUSA
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To: highflight
Once more, with feeling.

These wrenching, sickening stories are coming too fast, too furious and too often.

*************

I agree. It is heartbreaking and impossible to understand how anyone could take the life of a mother and her children. And it does seem as though we are seeing more of these stories.

342 posted on 02/22/2005 12:05:53 PM PST by trisham (proudly jackbooted and pajama clad!)
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To: marajade

Perhaps for us...but I bet the athorities already know. And of course, the perp knows too.


343 posted on 02/22/2005 12:06:03 PM PST by Jeff Head (www.dragonsfuryseries.com)
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To: mystery-ak

You got it.


344 posted on 02/22/2005 12:06:14 PM PST by cubreporter (U)
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To: mystery-ak

You got it.


345 posted on 02/22/2005 12:06:15 PM PST by cubreporter (U)
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs

"He also lead the police to the bodies."

As a tool to plead it down to life in prison vs. death penalty?


346 posted on 02/22/2005 12:07:09 PM PST by marajade
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To: brytlea
beat/strangled them why was there all that blood in the house?

Beaten people tend to bleed a lot.

347 posted on 02/22/2005 12:08:25 PM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs (I don't support gay male prostitutes, beating up people in strip bars or poor grammar.)
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To: Howlin

You got to feel for his current/new wife. How awful for her; she'll need support.


348 posted on 02/22/2005 12:08:39 PM PST by marajade
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To: yellowdoghunter
I understand completely what you're trying to say.

If she'd kept her legs closed or practiced birth control, she'd be alive...and so would her son.

However, it's a stretch to blame her for doing what 70%+ of African American women are doing....having babies out of wedlock.

Good luck. Seems you've pissed off the entire FR roster.

349 posted on 02/22/2005 12:08:41 PM PST by DCPatriot ("It aint what you don't know that kills you. It's what you know that aint so" Theodore Sturgeon)
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To: DCPatriot

"If she'd kept her legs closed or practiced birth control, she'd be alive...and so would her son."

Not necessarily. Just the fact that she had had a relationship at all may have been enough... we just don't have enough info yet.


350 posted on 02/22/2005 12:09:57 PM PST by marajade
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To: marajade

Nah...she picked a lousy husband. Horrible decision. She's lucky she is still alive./sarcasm off


351 posted on 02/22/2005 12:10:01 PM PST by msp2004
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs

Oh, I guess you're right. Sorry to be do dumb.
What a horrible thing.
sundero


352 posted on 02/22/2005 12:10:10 PM PST by brytlea
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs

Oh, I guess you're right. Sorry to be so dumb.
What a horrible thing.
sundero


353 posted on 02/22/2005 12:10:30 PM PST by brytlea
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To: yellowdoghunter
You really are a complete ass. Sometimes I question whether or not people like yourself actually apply the same perverted thought patterns to their daily lives. The reason I can't answer the question completely is I remain amazed that you are able to function in society without getting smacked around daily.
354 posted on 02/22/2005 12:11:27 PM PST by CompGeek
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To: Howlin

Keep the good memories close to your heart. That is the gift.

Our prayers are with you.


355 posted on 02/22/2005 12:11:38 PM PST by truthseeker2
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To: brytlea

It's ok, usually when we think of excessive blood loss we think of gunshots and knife wounds.


356 posted on 02/22/2005 12:12:04 PM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs (I don't support gay male prostitutes, beating up people in strip bars or poor grammar.)
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To: MeekOneGOP

I watched the story on the noon news. This old world is getting crazier and crazier everyday. I feel so sorry for them.


357 posted on 02/22/2005 12:13:31 PM PST by Brownie74
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To: marajade

You're right. I shouldn't assume that the guy killed them because she planned on giving birth and raising the child without him.


358 posted on 02/22/2005 12:13:38 PM PST by DCPatriot ("It aint what you don't know that kills you. It's what you know that aint so" Theodore Sturgeon)
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To: DCPatriot

I think its probably the case too...


359 posted on 02/22/2005 12:14:14 PM PST by marajade
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To: CompGeek

The yellow dogs are losers....he's very bitter. His wife left him and found herself a good man and he's upset.


360 posted on 02/22/2005 12:14:37 PM PST by zoobee (http://www.dslextreme.com/users/exstatica/psychic.swf)
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