A pregnant Arkansas woman was found shot dead in Missouri on Thursday, a day after the baby she was carrying was found in a separate location.
Amber and Jamie Waterman, both 42, have been arrested on kidnapping charges, Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith said, according to KHBS.
The couple has not been charged with the murders of 33-year-old Ashley Bush or the baby, Valkyrie Grace Willis, because investigators have not determined where they were killed, Smith said.
The bodies were both found in McDonald County in southwestern Missouri, which borders Benton County on northwestern Arkansas. A motive behind the murders has not yet been determined.
Bush Last Seen on Oct. 31
Ashley Bush was last seen in the passenger seat of an older model tan pickup truck on the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 31, at the intersection of Highway 72 and Highway 43 in Maysville. A white woman in her 40s with shoulder-length brown hair was driving the truck.
Bush was looking for a job working from home when she met Amber, who called herself "Lucy" online. Amber then picked Bush up at the Handi-Mart in Maysville to take her to a job interview in Bentonville.
At about 3 p.m., Bush texted her ride, saying she was in Gravette and on her way back to Handi-Mart so she could be picked up. Amber and Bush arrived at the intersection near the Handi-Mart but instead of turning into the parking lot, the truck went north onto HWY 43 and drove off.
'She Was a Great Mother and a Wonderful Wife'
Bush had three children, ages 8, 7, and 2, and was engaged to be married. Josh Willis, Bush's fiancé, said he's devastated by the news and trying to stay strong for their daughter.
"This is just a reminder that there is evil in the world," Nathan Smith, county prosecutor, said. "People do evil things. And that someone would prey upon a pregnant woman at her most vulnerable state is unimaginable but unfortunately that's the world we live in."
In a statement, Willis said: "I'm disgusted in the whole situation. I wish that Ashley and Valkyrie were alive and home with us all. I cant believe that there are people out there that would do something like this. She was a great mother, a wonderful wife, a very outgoing, caring, and kind person. They didn't deserve any of this. There are 3 amazing kids here that just lost their mother/best friend and little sister. I just lost my wife and daughter. We are all going to support each other through this but we are all devastated in the whole thing. We all were hoping and praying they would come home safely. I've lost all hope in humanity. I appreciate all the help out there from everyone."
