It’s been one year since the Perry community was rocked by the news of the death of 16-year-old Sabrina Ray, and there’s still much that’s unanswered.
On May 12, 2017, Sabrina was found unresponsive at the home of her adoptive parents, Marc and Misty Ray, reportedly weighing only 56 pounds. She was declared dead shortly after, with the cause being severe malnutrition. In the month that followed, five individuals were arrested in relation to Sabrina’s death, each of them her adoptive family members. Marc and Misty were the first charged in the investigation, followed by their son Justin Ray, niece, Josie Bousman, and Misty’s mother, Carla Bousman. Over the remainder of 2017, more charges would be levied against the suspects, and their trials were continued indefinitely. A new wrinkle came when Josie agreed to testify against the other defendants, meaning she would be tried separately. Since the calendar turned over to 2018, the biggest news related to the case has been Justin and Carla both taking plea deals and being sentenced to 10 and 20 years in prison, respectively.
Meanwhile, the people of Perry have been attempting to come to terms with the tragic death of Sabrina, which still felt fresh a year later. Last Friday, on the eve of the anniversary of her death, a small group of citizens gathered together for a vigil in Sabrina’s honor. Pastor Rick Gates from Crossroads Church in Perry presided over it, and he did his best to help those gathered gain a semblance of peace. “For most of us, this just doesn’t make sense. We can’t get wrapped around it, and how hard it was when it happened. And I said, ‘Today, I just want to talk about three things that do make sense.’ And I spoke about love, that that makes sense, and hope, and forgiveness. And I very practically addressed each of those topics in a way that is applicable to anybody and everybody. And I think it very much encouraged people.”
Attorneys for Marc and Misty Ray have requested the trial be moved, as they don’t feel the defendants can receive a fair trial in Dallas County due to the amount of coverage the case has received. A decision on that is expected to be made this week. See below for a full list of charges for the three remaining defendants. Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it’s made official.
Marc Ray is being charged on 17 counts, including: one count of first degree murder, a class A felony; three counts of kidnapping in the first degree, a class A felony; one count of child endangerment resulting in death, a class B felony; one count of second degree sexual abuse, a class B felony; one count of ongoing criminal conduct – unlawful activity, a class B felony; four counts of child endangerment resulting in serious injury, a class C felony; three counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, a class C felony; one count of third degree sexual abuse, a class C felony; one count of first degree theft, a class C felony; and one count of first degree fraudulent practice, a class C felony.
Misty Ray is being charged on 15 counts, including: one count of first degree murder, a class A felony; three counts of kidnapping in the first degree, a class A felony; one count of child endangerment resulting in death, a class B felony; one count of ongoing criminal conduct – unlawful activity, a class B felony; four counts of child endangerment resulting in serious injury, a class C felony; three counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, a class C felony; one count of first degree theft, a class C felony; and one count of first degree fraudulent practice, a class C felony.
Josie Bousman is being charged on five counts, including: three counts of aiding and abetting kidnapping in the first degree, a class A felony; one count of aiding and abetting child endangerment resulting in death, a class B felony; and one count of obstructing prosecution or defense, an aggravated misdemeanor.