WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — A Central Texas couple has pleaded guilty in the 2009 death of the wife’s ex-husband.

Charles Kevin Bowen, 44, and Jennifer Bowen, 31, were scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 14 but changed their minds and pleaded guilty to murder on Thursday.

Williamson County officials say in March 2009, 41-year-old John David Blattner went missing. His body was found April 11, 2009 near an abandoned property outside of Taylor. He had been shot in the head and hip.

The Texas Rangers, Taylor Police Department, Round Rock Police Department and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office investigated. They found out that Blattner was last seen with his ex-wife, Jennifer Bowen, and he was supposed to appear in court for a child custody case near the time he went missing. He and Bowen had an eight-year-old daughter and authorities learned that Blattner planned to change their child custody agreement.

Kevin and Jennifer Bowen were soon arrested after the investigation revealed that they lured Blattner to the Taylor location and killed him to avoid the custody changes. It was revealed that Kevin Bowen threw the murder weapon, a pistol into a nearby river. DNA evidence found on a cigarette at the scene also linked Kevin Bowen to the crime.

He and Jennifer have now confessed to killing Blattner.

Kevin Bowen was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Jennifer Bowen was sentenced to 40 years. They each must serve half of their sentence before being eligible for parole.

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