Hearing set in case against wife of aircraft mechanic

More than a year after her husband's decomposing body was found in the desert, Karen Bodden is set for a preliminary hearing next month to determine if there is enough evidence to show that she is responsible for his death.

District Attorney Mark Jackson said he expects to call 10 witnesses. East Fork Judge Jim EnEarl on Wednesday set the hearing for Sept. 21.

Bodden, 44, is being held in Douglas County Jail on $1 million cash bail on an open charge of murder with the use of a deadly weapon.

Bodden is represented by lawyer James E. Wilson Jr. of Carson City, who requested a delay in proceedings last spring after he took over the case to review volumes of information collected in the investigation.

Bodden has been in jail since her arrest Sept. 11, 2006, the day after her husband's body was found.

Authorities believe the 50-year-old aircraft mechanic was shot to death Aug. 16, 2006, at his airplane hangar at Minden-Tahoe Airport.

Robin Bodden's body was found in the desert near Johnson Lane on Sept. 10, 2006, 10 days after a family member reported him missing.

Karen Bodden told investigators she didn't report her husband missing because they were having marital problems and he had disappeared before. She claimed he left in a twin-engine plane with a man named "Ramos."

Robin Bodden's siblings said they were convinced his wife murdered him.

Authorities believe Karen Bodden was motivated by financial gain.

Originally she was charged with embezzling $30,000 from her late husband's business, General Aviation Services of Nevada, and his personal accounts.

The embezzlement charges were dismissed after she was accused of his murder.

Karen Bodden was convicted in 2004 of embezzling $44,000 when she was employed by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. She was sentenced to probation.