MICO, TX — A 29-year-old woman and her partner have been charged with capital murder after allegedly killing her mother and stepfather when he returned home from work, according to the Medina County Sheriff’s Office.
Cassandra Lange and Joby Williams, 30, face capital murder charges in the deaths of Cherry Rehbein, 54, and Stephen Rehbein, 58, at their home on County Road 265 in Mico, Texas. Both suspects are being held on $1 million surety bonds after authorities say they confessed to the killings and disposing of the bodies in a ravine near Medina Lake. The case highlights a disturbing pattern of family betrayal crimes that have shocked Texas communities, with investigators working to piece together the motive behind the double homicide that occurred Monday evening.
Sheriff Randy Brown told San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT that investigators believe Lange and Williams first killed Cherry Rehbein at the family home on Monday. When Stephen Rehbein returned from his job that evening, he was also murdered. The timeline suggests the suspects waited at the residence after the initial killing, though authorities have not disclosed specific details about how the victims died. Lange was Cherry Rehbein’s biological daughter, while Stephen served as her stepfather, making the crime particularly shocking to the small community near San Antonio. A co-worker’s concern two days later would prove crucial to the investigation’s rapid development.
The investigation began Wednesday when Stephen Rehbein failed to show up for work, prompting a colleague to request a welfare check at the residence. “Upon arrival, deputies were unable to make contact with anyone at the residence; however, they observed evidence indicating possible foul play,” the sheriff’s office stated in a press release. That evidence included bloody items discovered in a trash can outside the home, according to court documents. Deputies immediately secured search warrants and began tracking vehicles belonging to the victims, leading them to focus their search efforts in South Texas where the suspects had fled.
Authorities located one of the victims’ vehicles traveling in the Corpus Christi area, approximately 150 miles southeast of Mico, and conducted a traffic stop. Inside the vehicle, deputies found Lange, Williams, and two children — a 6-year-old girl and a 1-month-old infant. Lange was the mother of both children, but Williams was only the biological father of the baby, according to KSAT reporting. The 6-year-old was transferred to the custody of her father, while the infant was placed with state child protective services. The discovery of the children in the stolen vehicle added another layer of complexity to the case, as authorities worked to ensure their safety while processing the crime scene.
During police interviews, Lange confessed that she and Williams had killed both victims and disposed of their bodies in a ravine, according to the sheriff’s office. “During the interview, Lange confessed that she and Williams had killed her mother and stepfather and disposed of their bodies in a ravine,” deputies stated. Acting on this information, investigators immediately began searching the Medina Lake area under challenging nighttime conditions. Despite the difficulties, deputies successfully located two large black garbage bags concealed in a deep ravine, recovering the remains and sending them for autopsy examination. The confession provided crucial details that allowed authorities to quickly locate the victims and begin building their capital murder case.
The Mico community, located about 30 miles west of San Antonio, has been shaken by the brutal family crime that echoes other high-profile family murder cases across Texas. Family betrayal cases have consistently drawn significant attention from law enforcement and the public, particularly when they involve multiple victims and attempts to conceal evidence. The Medina County Sheriff’s Office noted that the investigation remains active, with authorities continuing to examine evidence and piece together the complete timeline of events. Capital murder charges in Texas carry the possibility of life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty, reflecting the severity of the allegations against both suspects.
As of Friday, both Lange and Williams remained in Medina County custody while prosecutors prepare their case for grand jury presentation. The sheriff’s office has indicated that additional charges could be filed as the investigation progresses and more evidence is processed. The next court appearances for both defendants have not yet been scheduled, though arraignment proceedings are expected within the coming weeks. Authorities continue to urge anyone with information about the case to contact the Medina County Sheriff’s Office as they work to build the strongest possible case against the accused killers.
