Alexis Gabe murder investigation ends with no charges against ex-boyfriend's mother; family "very disappointed"
For almost three years, the Gabe family has been fighting to get justice for their daughter, Alexis. But now, they said there isn't enough evidence to make the case they had hoped.
Jan. 26, 2022 changed the Gabe family forever. The 24-year-old left to hang out with friends and never came home.
Following an intense search, her remains were found dumped in large trash bags in rural Amador County more than nine months later. On Thursday, their hope to find justice for their daughter comes to an abrupt end.
"We are very disappointed," Gwyn Gabe, Alexis' father, told CBS News Bay Area. "You should see my wife. She was, you know, so mad."
Evidence eventually pointed to her ex-boyfriend, Marshall Jones, as the killer. Authorities went up to Washington State to serve the arrest warrant, but he died in a shooting with police.
The Gabe family has always believed Jones had help to dump Alexis' remains in Amador County and to leave the area. They were hoping Jones' mother, Alicia Coleman-Clark, would be charged with accessory after the fact and worked with an attorney to make their best case.
"We wanted to make sure when we do get to meet with them again, that we are ready," said Gwyn Gabe. "We were ready. We had significant amount of evidence that we presented to them. I don't know what they're thinking. I just didn't see why it wasn't enough."
The Gabe's have been working with Dara Cashman, a former prosecutor for the Contra Costa County District Attorney's office for 30 years.
"I think the evidence they have is sufficient not only to file, but to win the case," said Cashman.
Cashman has been working with an organization called Get Vocal for Victims, saying she has seen a trend of prosecutors being lenient on criminals versus fighting for the victims.
"I know there is an equity argument that she lost her son," Cashman told CBS News Bay Area. "But there is also an argument to be made that if she had done the lawful and correct thing at the time, he would've been arrested and he wouldn't have been killed."
With the statute of limitations now running out for the accessory after the fact charge, this was the last hope for the Gabe family.
In a statement Thursday, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said it looked at forensic evidence, re-interviewed Coleman-Clark's former boyfriend and looked at who bought Jones' plane ticket to Washington.
The district attorney's office says the evidence just wasn't there to charge Coleman-Clark.
In the statement, District Attorney Diana Becton wrote, "We extend our deepest condolences to the Gabe family for the unimaginable loss of Alexis. Our office has worked tirelessly over the past three years to pursue every lead. While we have concluded our investigation into this matter, we remain committed to supporting the Gabe family."
Gwyn Gabe said he will now work to support other victims' families to make sure the legal system doesn't let them down. He said he would support an effort to recall Becton.
In the meantime, he hopes the community will come to support him and his family as they remember the life of Alexis Gabe with an event this weekend.
"I would still like to celebrate her death anniversary every year by organizing Kindness Day and I invite everyone to join us on Sunday," Gabe said. "We need you now."