Missing man's wife charged in theft

The wife of a missing airline mechanic was charged Tuesday with grand theft, accused of taking thousands of dollars from her husband's business and using his credit card without permission.

Karen Bodden, 43, was being held in Douglas County Jail without bail, charged with grand theft, uttering a forged instrument and unlawful use of a credit card.

She was accused of making illegal transactions from Jan. 1 through Aug. 26, the day her 50-year-old husband, Robin Bodden, was reported missing.

Authorities wouldn't speculate Thursday whether the missing mechanic and the body found near Johnson Lane were related.

Sheriff's Lt. Steve Orr, head of investigations, said the body had not been identified and it would be "irresponsible to speculate" if the cases were connected or if Karen Bodden was a suspect in her husband's disappearance.

"We have a missing persons case that is extremely active," he said. "We don't even have an identification on the deceased."

Karen Bodden also is serving four years probation, convicted of embezzling $44,000 from the Department of Motor Vehicles, her former employer, according to court documents.

She is to appear Sept. 20 in East Fork Justice Court.

Deputies uncovered the alleged crimes during their investigation of the disappearance of her husband, last seen Aug. 17.

According to court records, Robin Bodden was reported missing Aug. 27 by his sister who lives in Carson City. She told investigators she had not heard from him for 10 days.

Robin Bodden owns General Aviation Services at Minden-Tahoe Airport.

Karen Bodden told deputies she and her husband had argued and he took off Aug. 16 in a plane with a man named "Ramos." Robin Bodden does not have a pilot's license.

She said her husband returned the next day, picked up clothes and personal items at their home, and left after another argument.

She said she didn't report him missing because they argued frequently in the past and he left for extended periods.

According to court documents, friends said Robin Bodden knew his wife was taking money from his business, but said if he filed a police report, she would lose her probation and go to prison.

In the charges filed Tuesday, she was accused of embezzling money from General Aviation Services, cashing two checks totaling $10,195 that she wrote against her own business, Pond Goddess, and purchasing a $449 generator with his credit card eight days after he disappeared.