FRUGE, Bobbie Jo

Bobbie Jo Fruge

• 2010-07-29
• 2020-07-02

Bobbie Jo Fruge was indicted for the previously unsolved murder of Thomas Ray Vaughn.

A complaint was filed on June 26, 2020 and she was arrested on July 2, 2020 in Louisiana. She was released from Potter County Detention Center a year later (June 29, 2021) on the CSCD program.

An examining trial was requested on May 14, 2025.

The murder charge against Fruge was dismissed on July 7, 2025.

APD release

UPDATE July 2nd, 2020

On Friday June 26, detectives with the Amarillo Police Department Homicide Unit were able to get a murder warrant for Bobbie Jo Fruge, a 54 year-old-female, in the homicide case of Thomas Ray Vaughan. On July 2nd, Fruge was arrested in Lake Charles, Louisiana and booked into the Beauregard Parish Jail. The investigation into the case is ongoing.

UPDATE

The victim in this homicide is identified as Thomas Ray Vaughan, W/M 63, of Amarillo. There are no preliminary autopsy results at the time of this release.

Original Release

At 2 PM, on Thursday July 29, 2010, officers were dispatched to the Ft. Williams Military Surplus and Supplies Depot at 703 N. Williams on a suspicious death. Upon arrival they contacted witnesses who had found one of the co-owners deceased inside the fence line on the property. The officers observed a W/M 63 who appeared to have blunt force injuries to his upper body. Special Crimes was called to the scene to investigate the death. It does appear that the W/M 63 has been struck by a blunt object several times in his upper body. The identity of the W/M is known; however, it is not being released until next of kin is located. Justice of the Peace Debbie Horn responded to the scene and ordered that an autopsy be performed on the victim in Lubbock, Texas on Friday July 30, 2010. This incident is being actively investigated at the time of this release. At this time a motive for this homicide is not known. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the Special Crimes unit at 378-9468 .