Bonnie Harkey, the 86-year-old woman who was among two people killed after being attacked at a San Saba home last weekend, suffered a severe beating and was likely alive when she was dumped into a shallow grave some 200 miles from her home, an autopsy report release Wednesday said. Harkey is pictured left.
Leon County Justice of the Peace Doug Preston said the cause of death for Harkey was “homicidal violence comprising blunt-force head injuries” and probable asphyxiation, including drowning.
Harkey’s stepson, 59-year-old Bruce Harkey, was arrested Wednesday on a criminal solicitation of capital murder warrant in connection with the case. Court documents state that he offered the woman’s grandson, 28-year-old Carl Wade Pressley, money in a murder-for-hire plot.
Harkey’s body was found in a make-shift grave in a ravine in Hilltop Lakes RV Park in Leon County. Preston said the autopsy showed signs of drowning, but that it was unlikely that she was dumped into a body of water. More likely, he said, Harkey breathed in standing water from recent rains in the area.
Harkey and her caretaker, 50-year-old Karen Johnson were both killed after what appeared to be attacks in Harkey’s home.
Carl Wade Pressley, 28, and Lillian Annette King, 25, are charged in Johnson’s death. Bond is $500,000 for Pressley. King is held on $250,000 bond.
Bruce Harkey was being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.
San Saba County Sheriff L.A. Brown said he would also seek kidnapping charges against Pressley and King.
Officials said Pressley is an adopted grandson of Harkey.
KXAN.com in Austin contributed to this report.
