Matheau Moore Emily Noble husband charged with murder in the death of missing Westerville, Ohio woman as man says arrest is a mistake.
An Ohio man was arrested on Thursday in connection with last year’s murder of his wife, whose body was discovered five months after the woman vanished in May.
Matheau Moore, 50, allegedly staged the crime scene to make it look like his wife, Emily Noble, 52, hanged herself in the woods near their Westerville home. Moore reported Noble’s disappearance in May, telling police that she vanished from their home after they celebrated her birthday and went to sleep, according to WSYX.
Noble’s wallet and keys were reportedly found at her home. In September, someone called 911 claiming they discovered a body hanging from a rope near the couple’s home. The body was identified as Noble through dental records. Due to significant decomposition, her body was sent for further analysis, according to WSYX.
Police said a strangulation expert confirmed Noble was a homicide victim. The expert said the nature of Noble’s neck and facial fractures made it clear she did not take her own life, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Residents said Moore had been living in the condo that Noble inherited from her mother leading up to his arrest on Thursday. Of note, the husband’s arrest comes nearly 3 years after the couple married in 2018.
Motivated by financial gain?
‘He said maybe she went off with the Amish people, maybe she was kidnapped,’ neighbor Sue Kelly told WSYX after Moore’s arrest. ‘He kept throwing out these crazy scenarios.’
‘I thought (the body) had to be moved from its original place and there is only one person who would have benefited from that to collect insurance,’ said Kelly. ‘As soon as this happened, I had no doubt in my mind that it was him.’
Asked by reporters as he was led away following his arrest, whether Moore had killed his wife, the husband responded, ‘No it’s a mistake.’
Adding, ‘I am innocent.’
Moore was charged with murder and felonious assault. His bond was set at $2.5 million. His trial is scheduled to begin on September 7.
