Authorities searching for now-convicted murderer who went missing day before trial in ex's death
Stephen Chaney was convicted even though he remains on the run.
HOUSTON -- Authorities are looking for a now-convicted murderer who removed his ankle monitor and disappeared during his trial in Texas, according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
Stephen Chaney -- who was out on bond during his trial -- showed up to jury selection for his criminal trial on Oct. 9. He was then ordered to appear in court the next day when testimony was set to begin, according to court documents.
However, Chaney, 24, left his house late on Oct. 8 -- violating his bond agreement -- and removed his ankle monitor before it was thrown onto a freeway around 10 p.m. Chaney's attorneys and brother tried to contact him several times but were unable to, according to court documents.
He did not appear in court as was ordered on Oct. 9, according to court documents. Chaney was accused of killing Claudia Leiva with a firearm on Aug. 12, 2020, according to court documents.
The trial continued without him and the jury found Chaney guilty of murder on Oct. 16, court records show.
Under his bond, Chaney was to remain at home 24 hours a day and continue to wear a GPS device, according to court documents. In court filings, an attorney for Chaney said he had abided by all conditions of his bond up to his disappearance.
A warrant remains out for Chaney's arrest, according to the district attorney's office.
Chaney was booked on May 25, 2022, and was released on bond on April 1, 2023, records show.
Body found in dumpster
Leiva was found dead adjacent to a dumpster within the Rose Tree Condominiums in August 2020. She was found covered with boards and appeared to have been there for several days, according to court documents.
She died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head, according to court documents.
Surveillance video showed a man dragging Leiva's body from the front seat of a truck into the area of the dumpster, according to court documents.
The victim's mother, who reported her missing, told police that several men had been prostituting Leiva and she had recently made a complaint about a man harassing her, according to court documents.
A week before she was killed, Leiva had made a complaint stating that a man known to her as Stephen Chaney had been harassing her. She had provided police with a vehicle description and license plate, according to court documents.
The registered owner of the truck -- which matched Leiva's description and appeared in surveillance footage -- told investigators he had sold the vehicle to Chaney several months prior to the murder, according to court documents.
Investigators were able to further connect Chaney to the vehicle using several photos of him with the truck that were found on the victim's cellphone, including visible stickers on the rear of the vehicle, according to court documents.
Text messages between Chaney and Leiva also appeared to show her upset that he had hit her during an argument and she mentioned several times she did not want to be killed by him. Messages also showed her ending their relationship, but he continued to message her and did not appear to accept the breakup, according to court documents.
