Murder and robbery charges have been dismissed without prejudice for one of three women indicted in the death of an elderly man in 2006 in Christian County.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boiling filed the order dismissing the charges against Regina Vause in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday morning. Lashanda Bell and Annastaja Hathaway were also indicted for murder and robbery in connection to the death of 84-year old Roscoe Mayes whose body was discovered in a Greenville Road home on April 12, 2006.
According to the order, the Christian County Sheriff’s Department conducted an interview with one of the co-defendants on July 12, 2022, who stated that she and one other co-defendant were the only two people with the victim at the time of the murder. Previously, Boling says in the order a witness stated that all three defendants had been seen together at a location after the murder, where the victim’s vehicle was observed. In addition, the same co-defendant stated to another subject that all three of the co-defendants were present at the time of the murder. Boling notes that while clearly there are probable cause for the initial charges and indictments, the July 12th interview with the co-defendant, necessitated Lieutenant Scott Smith of the Christian County Sheriff’s Department to meet with the Commonwealth’s Attorney and determine that the charges should be dismissed without prejudice. Boling adds that there is evidence that has been resubmitted for possible DNA analysis, that is still pending. However, Boling stated that the appropriate measure at this point is to dismiss the charges without prejudice.
The order also states that Vause’s attorney Olivia Adams has no objection to the dismissal of the indictment without prejudice. That means if the Commonwealth were to discover any evidence that implicates Vause in connection to the crime, she could be re-indicted.
