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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

New Charge Against ‘Affluenza’ Killer’s Mom

DALLAS (CN) - A Texas grand jury has filed a new money laundering charge against the mother of "affluenza" killer Ethan Couch, who fled with him to Mexico last year.

Tonya Couch, 48, posted $10,000 bond Thursday for the new charge. She posted $75,000 bond in January after being charged with a third-degree felony count of hindering apprehension. She faces up to 10 years in state prison if convicted.

Couch withdrew $30,000 from her bank account before fleeing with her son and dog to Mexico in a black Ford F-150 truck, according to her arrest warrant.

Her son made headlines in 2013 when former Tarrant County District Judge Jean Boyd sentenced him to 10 years of probation and therapy for driving drunk on stolen beer and killing four people on the side of a road in south Fort Worth.

Boyd apparently was swayed by defense expert witness testimony that Couch suffered from "affluenza" - that his parents felt wealth bought them privilege and there was no rational link between behavior and consequences.

Ethan Couch made headlines again last year when he fled with his mother to Mexico after a video was posted on Twitter showing someone who resembles Ethan Couch at a beer pong game. He was banned from drinking alcohol under terms of his probation.

Tarrant County authorities launched a manhunt for mother and son after he missed an appointment with his probation officer and the video was made public.

Mexican officials arrested them in Puerto Vallarta in December. Tonya Couch was quickly deported. Ethan was deported in January and was sentenced to two years in county jail when his case was transferred to adult court in April when he turned 19.

Tarrant County Judge Wayne Salvant gave Ethan Couch the maximum sentence allowed under his parole - 180 days for each of the four people he killed.

Follow @davejourno
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