PLANO, TEXAS: In a shocking case that has gripped Plano, Texas, the husband of a missing woman whose lifeless body was found stuffed in a black suitcase at Lake Lewisville last month was wearing an ankle monitor from a previous arrest that placed him at the water body, raising suspicions about his involvement. Sarah Dudley, 32, was reported missing on June 24, and two days later, her body was discovered in the lake. The subsequent developments surrounding her husband, Karlton Dudley, have shed light on the investigation.
Who is Karlton Dudley?
Karlton Dudley, 37, was arrested on June 28 and charged with abuse of a corpse, as authorities began unraveling inconsistencies in his story. Plano police revealed that his cover story regarding his wife's disappearance fell apart due to the ankle monitor he was wearing, which tracked his presence to the lake where Sarah's body was found. Notably, Karlton Dudley is currently incarcerated at the Collin County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond for the abuse of a corpse charge. Additionally, he is being held on a separate $60,000 bond related to a 2022 case for aggravated sexual assault of a child, for which he was booked into jail on June 28.
The arrest warrant affidavit, as reported by FOX 4 in Dallas, provides crucial information that led to Dudley's arrest. According to the affidavit, on the day Sarah went missing, Karlton claimed to have gone to a neighbor's apartment to check on a cat, around the same time his wife was supposedly heading to work at Ra Sushi in Plano. However, employees at Ra Sushi informed investigators that Sarah never arrived for work on June 24.
The lake connection
Karlton Dudley was the one who reported his wife missing on June 24, according to Plano police. He stated that he had last seen her that morning at their home on Bishop Road and mentioned being at Hidden Cove Park in the evening, where he believed she was working. However, Sarah's employer confirmed that she did not show up for work that day, contradicting Karlton's account. Two days later, Sarah's body was discovered in Lake Lewisville, concealed inside a black suitcase, as stated in the affidavit. The lake is located near Hidden Cove Park.
When questioned by investigators, Karlton Dudley claimed that he was unable to enter the water on the evening of June 24 because he couldn't inflate his kayak. He insisted that he had merely walked near the water's edge, as shared by Officer Jerry Minton, a spokesperson for the Plano Police Department. However, authorities closely examined the ankle monitor that Karlton was wearing while out on bond for the sexual assault case, which provided GPS data placing him in the vicinity where the body was found. The monitor indicated that he had ventured into the water, beyond what he could have walked or swum, according to Officer Minton, Law&Crime reported. During their conversation with Karlton, detectives discovered that he had described the suitcase in which Sarah's body had been stuffed. That very suitcase was subsequently found in the lake.
Family seeks justice
Sarah's brother, Patrick Dowd, shared a statement with FOX 4, saying, "My family and I hope that Sarah’s memory can be remembered as the vibrant person she was. We pray for justice to the full extent of the law." He also set up a Venmo account to support the family in arranging his beloved sister's funeral service.
Speaking to WFAA, Dowd expressed the family's struggle to comprehend the tragedy. “It just still doesn’t feel real,” he said. “She was just this openly warm person that was always willing to help anyone. She was so sweet and caring. We wish we could call her out of the blue, and she would answer, you know?” When asked if they wanted Karlton Dudley to face the severest punishment possible, Sarah's sister, Army Pattison, responded with an emphatic "Absolutely." Dowd echoed the sentiment, saying, "We want justice for our sister."
Meanwhile, Karlton's defense attorney sent FOX 4 a statement indicating that he is currently "charged with ‘abuse of a corpse’" and "at this time, Mr Dudley has not been charged with homicide and the autopsy remains inconclusive." As the investigation into the death of Sarah Dudley continues, authorities are working to establish the facts surrounding the case and determine the appropriate charges against Karlton Dudley.
