Mother’s ex-boyfriend indicted in West Texas teen’s death

COLORADO CITY, Texas (AP) — The ex-boyfriend of the mother of a 13-year-old West Texas girl reported missing more than a decade ago has been indicted for murder in the girl’s death.

The Mitchell County grand jury indicted Shawn Casey Adkins, 36, of Big Spring, Texas, on a murder count Thursday in the death of Hailey Dunn. Adkins has been in Mitchell County Detention Center since his arrest last June with bonds totaling $1.25 million. Jail records did not list an attorney for Adkins.

The Colorado City Middle School student and cheerleader was reported missing in December 2010. Dunn’s body was found in April 2013 in a remote area near a lake about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Colorado City. The indictment alleged that Adkins killed the girl by hitting her in the head with an unknown object.

Authorities had said Adkins, the former boyfriend of Dunn’s mother Billie Dunn, had been considered a person of interest since the girl’s disappearance. Adkins told The Associated Press shortly after the girl’s disappearance that he was not involved and that he was praying for her safe return.

Colorado City is home to about 4,500 residents and is situated 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Big Spring and about 210 miles (340 kilometers) west of Fort Worth.