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Suspect Is Charged in 2 Texas Deaths

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From Associated Press

A man was arrested and charged Tuesday with murdering his pregnant former girlfriend and her 7-year-old son, both of whom disappeared from their home over the weekend.

Hours after the arrest, authorities found two bodies matching the descriptions of Lisa Underwood and her son, Jayden, authorities said.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Feb. 25, 2005 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday February 25, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 58 words Type of Material: Correction
Texas killings -- An article in Wednesday’s Section A about the killing of Lisa Underwood and her son used Underwood’s last name in place of the suspect’s in one sentence. It was Stephen Dale Barbee who reportedly told investigators he had put bodies in the back of a sport utility vehicle. Also, the SUV was Underwood’s, not Barbee’s.

Stephen Dale Barbee, 37, admitted arguing with Underwood about leaving his wife, according to court papers. Barbee allegedly said he suffocated Underwood, then did the same to the boy after the child interrupted the attack.

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Court papers said Barbee was the father of Underwood’s fetus.

Barbee was arrested in Tyler, where he had been working clearing trees.

Underwood reportedly told investigators he put the bodies in the back of his sport utility vehicle and dug a shallow grave. The SUV was found in a creek near the town of Denton on Monday.

Court papers also revealed that a sheriff’s deputy briefly had Barbee in custody early Saturday after he stopped a suspicious man covered in mud. The man ran into the woods and escaped.

Underwood, a bagel shop owner who was seven months’ pregnant, was reported missing Saturday along with her son after she failed to show up at her baby shower. A pool of blood was found in her Fort Worth home, but there was no sign of forced entry, police said.

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Underwood and Barbee met about two years ago but split up last fall because Barbee had another girlfriend, said Debbie Lindley, a neighbor of Underwood’s.

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