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'It's senseless' | Search for woman wanted for murder continues after Bandera man's body is found

Officials advise the public to not approach the woman but instead call the department at (830) 796-3771.

BANDERA COUNTY, Texas — According to the Bandera County Sheriff's Office, a body found on Nov. 17 has been identified as an elderly man who went missing two days earlier. Officials are now searching for the woman investigators say he was last seen with. 

An autopsy confirmed the body found in Crockett County was 88-year-old man, Robert Isaacks who went missing Nov. 15, according to a press release.

The release says, officials are asking the community to help locate Freda M. Thomas, also known as Michelle. The Bandera County Sheriff's Office has issued a murder warrant for Thomas. 

He was living with her daughter, Karen Chovanec in Bandera. Chovanec said she checked her ring camera video and spotted her father walking through the front door with Thomas around 10 a.m. November 15. A few hours later, a back door video shows Thomas leaving alone. 

She said the family has no idea who Thomas is. 

“She’s coming in the front door, she’s holding this oversized coffee cup, it looks like she’s purposely trying to hide her facing coming through the front door," Chovanec said. 

Chovanec said Thomas left a coffee mug behind. It was collected by Bandera investigators. She believes it could have helped them quickly identify her. 

On Friday, she said she heard a body was discovered in Crockett County and had a feeling it was her father.

“They said the body was wrapped with a tarp and with duct tape and I knew I had a tarp in the garage somewhere, so I thought, maybe they used my tarp, could be," Chovanec said.

On Monday, the coroner confirmed the body was her father. They have not said how he died.

“It’s senseless," Chovanec said. "There’s no reason to kill an 88-year-old man.”

Chovanec said Isaacks was a father of five, grandfather, and Air Force veteran. His wife had died this past year and he was living in Bandera to get away from big city life. 

“That really hurt, I think I’m protecting them by bringing them out to Bandera, turns out not to be the case," Chovanec said.

Officials advise the public to not approach Thomas but to call the department at (830) 796-3771.

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