Accessory charges filed in Buffy Rice Donohue slaying

Wednesday, July 28, 1999 | 9:23 a.m.

District Attorney Wyatt Angelo filed 12 counts of accessory to murder against Evonne Haley in San Miguel District Court on July 21.

Haley is in a Nevada prison for fraud convictions related to one of two killings in Reno committed by her former boyfriend, David Middleton.

Donohue was an 18-year-old newlywed when she disappeared from a Wal-Mart parking lot on Nov. 21, 1993. Her remains were found in a plastic bag in 1995 in a remote area south of Norwood in San Miguel County.

Donohue was last seen leaving the parking lot with Haley. Middleton, who is on Nevada's death row, is the prime suspect in Donohue's slaying.

He was convicted in Reno and sentenced to die two years ago for the 1994 kidnap and murder of Sparks casino worker Thelma Davila, 42, and schoolteacher Katherine Powell, 45, of Reno in 1995.

Haley was convicted of using Powell's credit card to buy stereo equipment around the time of Powell's death. She was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Middleton was already facing execution by the time Colorado authorities had physical evidence they say links him to her death, and Angelo decided not to prosecute him because of the cost of a trial in that situation.

Donohue's parents, Walt and Bonnie Rice, have been calling for charges in their daughter's death for years and have expressed disappointment at the decision to file only accessory charges against Haley.

The Rices say they believe Haley is equally responsible for Donohue's death. Their lawyer, Keith Killian, said they fear the accessory charges will prevent Haley from ever facing murder charges.

"The whole incident started with Evonne Haley," said Killian.

Killian said that Angelo will have to prove Middleton committed the murder in order to convict Haley as an accessory, "so why not just bring him in and prosecute him?"

Angelo was not available for comment.

Killian also said the Rices, who in the past sued the Montrose Police Department over its investigation, are considering appealing a court decision last week that denied their request for a special prosecutor.