Terry Whitehouse sat in front of a judge Monday morning for his first court appearance since being captured on Friday.
Whitehouse was on the run for a day and a half after police believe he murdered his father-in-law, and then kidnapped his wife and mother-in-law.
“Just because you've been charged with those offenses doesn't mean you're guilty, you still have the presumption of innocence,” Judge Jerry Crosby II told him during the arraignment.
Whitehouse is charged with murder, kidnapping and violating an EPO.
Prosecutors said he confessed to murdering Marvin Bowman, who died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Upon leaving the police station on Friday, Whitehouse said his “wife told me to do it.”
Eminence police officers are aware of his claim and told WHAS 11 they are doing a further investigation into it. There are currently no charges against his wife, Melinda Whitehouse.
Judge Crosby appointed Whitehouse a public defender and “made no adjustments” to his bond “in light of the charges against him.”
District court clerks said he’s being held on a $1-million dollar bond for the murder case and another $1-million dollar bond for the kidnapping and EPO violation case.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, October 21st.
Debbie Bowman, the wife of Marvin Bowman and mother of Melinda Whitehouse is asking for help to pay for her husband’s funeral. If you would like to donate, click here. https://www.gofundme.com/f/xzytz-bowman-family
Contact reporter Heather Fountaine at hfountaine@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter (@WHAS11Heather) and Facebook.