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Man Indicted in 18-Year-Old Murder Mystery

Gainesville woman’s 1997 murder solved, police say.

A North Texas man was indicted this week on charges he murdered his former girlfriend 18 years ago.

Christopher Ax, 38 and a former soldier, is accused of murdering 20-year-old Sarah Dougherty, who disappeared on March 28, 1997 when she never returned home from a movie store where she worked.

She was later found strangled.

Ax, a Gainesville resident, was indicted Wednesday in Cooke County and is being held on $1 million bond.

The arrest came after the Texas Rangers took a fresh look at the case.

According to the arrest warrant, Ax talked hypothetically about committing the crime.

“If I am responsible for her death, hell ya I mean I’ll never forgive myself,” Ax was quoted as saying. “If I did the crime I’m gonna do the time.”

WARNING: The court document below contains graphic and vulgar language that some may find offensive.

 
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Gainesville Murder Mystery (Text)
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