LaBelle man charged with death of ex-wife

Posted 10/11/22

On Friday, Oct. 10, Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit officially charged 43-year-old Ian Baunach...

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LaBelle man charged with death of ex-wife

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LABELLE — On Friday, Oct. 10, Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit officially charged 43-year-old Ian Baunach of Ft Denaud in the death of his former wife, 39-year-old Katie Samantha Baunach.

During the morning hours of Thursday, Sept. 30, Hendry County Sheriff Steve Whidden received a call from a friend of Katie Samantha Baunach, reporting that she was concerned for her safety. She reported that the night before Katie had left her two children in her care to go to the home of her former husband Ian Baunach to retrieve some of her personal items. Friends and family had not heard from her nor have been able to reach her on her cell phone.

When deputies arrived at the home and were unable to contact either Katie or Ian Baunach, detectives requested a search warrant. A search warrant was obtained and deputies along with the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team responded to the home. During the search detectives found a large amount of steroids within the home, to which Ian admitted belonged to him.

Ian was then placed under arrest and charged with 13 charges of possession of controlled substance without a prescription and transported to the Hendry County Jail.

Still unable to locate Katie, a second search warrant was obtained for the home and property.

It was during this four day search, detectives were able to determine that remains found on the property were those of Katie.

On Oct. 10, at approximately 5 p.m., Hendry County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit charged Baunach with first degree pre-meditated murder, destruction/conceal physical evidence, use of two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, cremate dead body 48 hours after death and failure to report death to medical examiner.

Baunach is currently being held in the Hendry County Jail with no bond.

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