A man has been arrested and charged with murder in the 2019 disappearance of his ex-girlfriend in Idaho.
Rae Allison Berwanger was reported missing on March 7, 2019. During the investigation into her disappearance, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office considered her ex-boyfriend, Jordan Jarrad Law, a person of interest, according to a news release.
Law, 46, lived near Berwanger, who was 54 at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen at her home, according to CBS affiliate KREM. Berwanger had struggled with substance abuse, family members told KREM, but she was making progress toward sobriety shortly before her disappearance.
According to court documents seen by KREM, Berwanger’s brother-in-law, Jimmie Bailey, told authorities he went to Law’s home after the couple had a “fallout.” Berwanger told Bailey she wanted to move to Washington state. After Berwanger disappeared, Law told authorities she talked about leaving the area and may have gone to visit a friend.
Law also told investigators that he sold Berwanger a vehicle for $800 three days before he disappeared. Law said Berwanger and the vehicle disappeared, but he found the car abandoned at an intersection two days later and drove it home.
Police said investigators later discovered that Law had used Berwanger’s bank cards at two locations after his disappearance, withdrawing $1,200 in $400 increments. Security cameras showed him driving the car he said he sold to Berwanger, KREM reported. Law was arrested for allegedly using the bank card, KREM reported.
Police said Tuesday that a “lengthy investigation” into Law had ultimately led to murder charges.
He has been charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and destruction of evidence. Law is also charged with rape, which police say “is related to another victim discovered during the investigation.”
Law was arrested in Spokane, Washington, on Wednesday, police said.
Police said evidence from the Idaho State Police sexual assault kit helped lead to the charges, but did not specify how.
