BONNY ANNE COONER - 33 y/o - Athens, GA

Foul play suspected in Georgia mom's disappearance
Published February 10, 2013
Associated Press

ATLANTA – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it suspects foul play in the disappearance of a 33-year-old woman from northeast Georgia.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/02/10/foul-play-suspected-in-georgia-mom-disappearance/?test=latestnews#ixzz2KVusJMLh

Updated: 1:23 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013

Foul play is suspected in the disappearance of a Franklin County mother missing since the end of January, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Friday.

The GBI was brought in this week to help the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office find out what happened to Bonny Anne Cooner of Canon, who was last seen on Jan. 28 and reported missing by family members the following day.

“As a result of investigative efforts, it is believed that Ms. Cooner is the victim of foul play and in all likelihood has not disappeared of her own free will,” the GBI said in a statement Friday.

The agency added, however, that an exhaustive investigation is expected “to yield significant assistance in the search for Ms. Cooner as well as identifying responsible parties.”

The statement did not provide any additional information on the “responsible parties.”

Family and friends have created a Facebook page and have posted notices on Craigslist, pleading for information on Cooner’s whereabouts.

The blue-eyed, brown-haired, 5-foot-5 woman with multiple tattoos was last seen by her fiancé and her 12-year-old son. The GBI said the fiancé, Brent Shubert, has been questioned, but the agency has not said he is a suspect in Cooner’s disappearance.

The GBI said law enforcement officials have conducted multiple interviews of possible witnesses, family, friends and associates. The agency said the interviews have provided a detailed picture Cooner’s public and private life, her routines, habits and relationships. Her financial records, computer and cellphone have also undergone forensic examinations, the GBI said.

“Sheriff’s deputies, GBI agents and crime scene specialists have completed exhaustive and detailed examinations of Ms. Cooner’s residence, vehicles and other locations frequented by her,” the GBI said in a statement.

Shubert told CBS Atlanta he last saw Cooner at home on Jan. 28 with her 12-year-old son, who was having a friend over for a sleepover. He said he left for work and received a text from Cooner later that day telling him supper was on the table. When he arrived home later that night he said he went to bed without seeing Cooner. When he woke up the next day, he told the TV station he did not see his bride-to-be. He said he contacted her family and her family called the sheriff’s office.

Shubert told CBS Atlanta Cooner had been “emotional - highs and lows the past several weeks.” He also said “a lot of people have been looking to me to give answers and I can’t.”

Cooner’s Facebook page — “Please help find Bonny Anne Cooner” — has photos of the smiling animal lover and postings by worried friends and family. One photo shows her with her Doberman Pinscher at a Labor Day weekend dog show last year, others show her with horses. There are also several photos of Cooner in a wedding gown with a bouquet in her lap.

A poem signed “To Bonny from her big sisters,” ends with: “Sister stand tall, give them your all, you deserve much more than they’re giving. Sister stand tall, sister be strong, your older sisters are believing in you.”

Cooner was last seen wearing a black tank top and blue jeans.

Anyone who has information is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 706-384-2525 or the GBI at 800-597-8477.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/n-georgia-mom-missing-foul-play-suspected/nWKXR/

Police: Body in well may be missing Ga. woman; boyfriend arrested


Updated: 11:56 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013 | Posted: 11:26 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013

Authorities with the GBI and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office have tentatively identified a body found in an abandoned well Saturday as that of Bonnie Cooner of Canon.

Her boyfriend, Brent James Shubert, was arrested early Sunday without incident in Anderson, S.C.

Cooner, 33, was reported missing Jan. 28 by a family member, who said she left behind a son, her car and other personal belongings, police said.

Her disappearance sparked an outpouring of interest from hundreds of friends who knew her in Canon and Athens and in Madison and Elbert counties.

Following nearly two weeks of investigation, the GBI reported Friday that a break in the case was imminent. On Saturday, Franklin County Sheriff’s investigators and GBI agents drove to a secluded area in Franklin County where the well is located. An excavation of the well site continued Sunday at 1805 Casey Road in Canon.

Once recovered, the remains will be transferred to the GBI Crime Lab in Decatur where an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death and to confirm the identity of the remains.

GBI spokesman John Bankhead said results of the autopsy probably won’t be completed until Monday.

The warrants charge Shubert with malice murder, aggravated assault and concealing a death. Additional charges may also be brought at a later date, the GBI said.

Shubert was arrested at 2:30 Sunday morning after police found him sleeping in his van parked at a Red Lobster in Anderson.

He is currently in custody in South Carolina awaiting extradition to Georgia.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/police-say-body-of-missing-ga-woman-found-boyfrien/nWLFP/

Prayers for her dear son.

Shubert Indicted For Murder of Fiance’
March 6, 2013

The Franklin County Grand Jury has indicted 38-year old Brent James Shubert for the murder of his fiance’ 33-year old Bonny Anne Cooner.

According to court documents released Tuesday, Shubert was indicted on one count of malice murder, one count of felony murder and one count of concealing the death of another.

On the first count, the grand jury concluded that on January 28th Shubert unlawfully and with malice of forethought strangled Cooner.

Count two of the indictment alleges that Shubert, while committing the felony of aggravated assault, strangled Cooner with a wire, which caused her death.

Dr. Kris Sperry, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Georgia, confirmed the remains found in the well were that of Ms. Cooner. Sperry said the cause of death was strangulation with blunt head trauma.

Under count three, the grand jury said Shubert intentionally concealed her death. At one point during the search for Cooner, Shubert told CBS Atlanta that Cooner had been moody and acting strangely just before she disappeared.

Cooner went missing in late January from the home she and her 12-year old son shared with Shubert on Unawatti Road in Canon.

An intensive search was launched to find Cooner that involved Franklin County Sheriff’s investigators, the GBI as well as friends and relatives.

On Friday, February 8th, Franklin County Sheriff and GBI Agent in Charge Mike Ayers announced they had gathered evidence that led them to believe foul play was involved in Cooner’s disappearance.

That, Thomas said later produced tips that led investigators to discover Cooner’s body the following evening down an abandoned well near her home.

Shubert was arrested several hours later in Anderson, SC and returned to Franklin County. He was denied bond and remains in the Franklin County Detention Center. So far, no trial date has been set.

http://www.921wlhr.com/shubert-indicted-in-murder-of-fiance/