Rebecca Hoover, a 38-year-old mother of three from New Albany, Indiana, vanished without a trace and was reported missing. Rebecca’s mom became more worried when she didn’t hear from her for several days. She reported her missing, saying that it wasn’t like her to be gone.
Despite Rebecca’s marital issues, her mom understood that even if Rebecca had left her husband, she would not have abandoned her kids. Officials started an investigation to try to find the hardworking mom and bring her three kids back together. Rebecca’s 8-year-old son, though, made a surprising revelation to a school counselor over a month later that altered everything.
Rebecca’s 8-year-old son informed a counselor at his local elementary school that he saw his mother’s murder as her murderer snuffed out her life directly in front of him more than three weeks after she was reported missing. The boy said that his 50-year-old father, Judson Keith Hoover, killed his mother in the basement of their home, and that he had seen it happen.
Officials were summoned, and the youngster vividly explained to officials what he had observed weeks earlier, around the time his mom was reported missing. The probable cause affidavit says that the child saw his father kick his mother in the head 20 times while she was lying on the ground near a black refrigerator in the basement.
The kid also watched Judson Hoover strike Rebecca Hoover in the stomach while holding a pair of keys, the document said, adding, the child noticed blood pouring from Rebecca Hoover’s head and left ear. After hearing the disturbing information, cops arrived at Judson Hoover’s school to pick up his children.
The Hoovers’ property was searched by detectives, who discovered what seemed to be blood spatter at the foot of the basement steps. After getting a tip from Rebecca’s mom, the police got a warrant to search a storage unit in New Albany. They looked through the surveillance tape and saw Judson Hoover bringing what seemed to be a corpse into the flat.
Judson Hoover was seen on a surveillance camera three and a half weeks later taking a 55-gallon container from the apartment after being examined by authorities. A second search order was issued, enabling law enforcement to examine another Louisville storage facility. Rebecca Hoover’s bones were discovered in a 55-gallon container there.
Judson Hoover was arrested and charged with murder after the grisly finding. When Judson heard that Rebecca’s body had been found, he said she had attacked him with a pipe first, and he had fought back. Yet, photographs of Judson taken at the time of his arrest revealed no evidence of injuries caused by such a weapon.
Afterwards, Judson Hoover pled guilty, telling the court that he choked his wife to death before abandoning her in the basement. The autopsy report, though, revealed a different image. Rebecca died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and body, according to the medical examiner, with wounds similar to their son’s eyewitness testimony.
The victim’s corpse was also disfigured, although Judson Hoover said he had no recollection of doing so. According to Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane, Judson Hoover was sentenced to a maximum of 65 years in prison. He will be transferred to the Indiana Department of Correction to fulfill his sentence.
Rebecca’s death, however, was not the first indicator of difficulty in the Hoover marriage. The police and media were informed by her relatives and friends that the couple’s relationship had been violent. Moreover, only four months before his wife’s disappearance, Judson Hoover was arrested and charged with a level 6 felony for domestic abuse in the presence of a juvenile and a level 6 felony for strangling.
Rebecca attempted to urge her husband to leave the house, at which time he snatched her cellphone, knocked her to the ground, and started kicking her in the face and neck, according to court papers. Judson Hoover reportedly stomped Rebecca 15 to 20 times in front of the couple’s 3 kids, which is frighteningly similar to the episode that resulted in her demise.
Rebecca further said that Judson used his feet to put pressure on Rebecca’s neck, causing her to be unable to breathe, according to the arrest affidavit. Rebecca was saved that day by the same son who would witness her death four months later. The 8-year-old child was able to run to a neighbor’s house and convince the neighbor to call 911. He was unable to rescue his mother for the second time.
While a no-contact order had been issued against Judson Hoover during the domestic violence case, no such order was in effect at the time of Rebecca Hoover’s death. The violent relationship persisted when Judson was released on bond. Rebecca’s terrible demise, perhaps, will have a cause.
This case is a heartbreaking reminder of how domestic abuse in the home may end in disaster, said Prosecutor Lane. In this case, Ms. Hoover was violently taken away from her home and children, and the person who did it tried to hide his crime, so he deserves a harsh punishment.
We couldn’t concur more with the prosecutor, and we can only wish Rebecca Hoover’s tale inspires others who are in violent relationships to get assistance and leave their abuser before it’s too late. If you or someone you care about needs assistance, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
