Rhori Johnston/Eyewitness News
Denver, Colorado, Sept. 11 - Steve Halcomb is back behind bars. This time, he's in a Denver jail. U.S. Marshals caught up with the 48-year-old fugitive Wednesday at a Salvation Army mission there.
Karen Jo's uncle Jack Lee said, "We're just taking it day by day."
For Karen Jo Smith's family, the news is relieving. But they know their journey isn't over yet. It's a journey that began December 27, 2000. Karen Jo Smith disappeared from her Indianapolis home. Her ex-husband, Steve Halcomb also disappeared. He resurfaced weeks later, but Karen never came home. Karen's family was suspicious of Steve from the beginning.
Lee said, "We've always had reason to believe that he was involved in her disappearance and we set an all out effort into coming up with the evidence or anything that we could come up with, to prove that he was involved."
But they found it hard to keep track of Halcomb, who was in and out of jail on various charges. But without evidence, police couldn't arrest him for murder. One year after her disappearance, Karen Jo's father expressed frustration.
Karen Jo's stepfather, Ed Bishop, said, "We've gathered information over the last year that's tracked his whereabouts and his moments."
Finally just last month, a grand jury indicted Halcomb for Karen Jo SMith's murder, but Steve Halcomb was nowhere to be found until this week.
Jack Lee said, " Karen was afraid of him. He had threatened Karen over the years."
Now, Karen's family waits for the next step in their journey.
Lee said, "We'll just be glad when they get back here, and the justice system can have a chance to prevail."
