SODUS, N.Y. -- The ex-girlfriend of a Sodus homicide victim and her husband have been charged in connection with last month's double homicide, Wayne County Sheriff Barry Virts announced at a news conference Monday night.

Charlene Childers, 25, and Timothy Dean, 32, of Sunray, Texas, are accused of conspiring to kill Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24, in Sodus, the sheriff said.

Niles and Washburn were shot and killed Oct. 22 in the driveway of their home at 29 Carlton St. in Sodus. The couple's 4-year-old son was in the back seat of a car in the driveway at the time. The boy was not injured.

Childers has two children with Niles. Their children were at school when the double homicide happened, according to news reports.

Childers was charged Monday with second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies.

An arrest warrant has been issued charging Dean -- a former police chief in Sunray, Texas -- with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree conspiracy and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all felonies.

"It's our belief Dean pulled the trigger," the sheriff said.

Wayne County sheriff's investigators worked with the FBI, Texas Rangers and other agencies during the investigation.

Investigators believe Childers was in Texas when Niles and Washburn were shot and killed, Virts said at a news conference. Childers traveled to Sodus after the double homicide and attended a vigil for the victims. During the vigil, she told a Rochester television news station that "justice needs to be served" for whoever killed the father of her children.

Childers was arraigned in Sodus Court and sent to the Wayne County jail Monday night on $100,000 bail or $200,000 bond.

Dean is being held in Texas. Wayne County sheriff's investigators will travel to Texas and bring him to Central New York, the sheriff said.

Although police do not know exactly what gun was used, the sheriff said several 9 mm shell casings were found at the scene in Sodus.

"Our investigation is continuing, as is the Texas Rangers' (investigation)," Virts said.

The Texas Rangers were familiar with Childers and Dean because of their investigation into an unrelated child abuse case, Virts said. Both Childers and Dean previously faced one count of injury to a child from a May 2018 incident in Texas.

About five months ago, Niles was granted custody of their two children, the family member told The Democrat & Chronicle newspaper.



"Childers was in a heated custody dispute with Joshua Niles before Niles was murdered," WHEC News 10 reported.

Wayne County sheriff's investigators considered Childers and Dean "persons of interest" immediately after the double homicide in Sodus; the couple became suspects a few days later, Virts said.

Witnesses helped police determine Dean was in Wayne County the day of the shooting, the sheriff said.

"We have eyes on him for several hours the day of the shooting in Sodus," Virts said.

But before police filed charges against Dean and Childers in the double homicide, news broke they were in jail last week. On Oct. 30, news stations reported Childers was held at the Wayne County jail as a "fugitive from justice" and Dean was being held in a Texas jail based on the pending child abuse charges.

Both the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Texas Rangers are continuing their investigations, Virts said.

Meanwhile, a family member is taking care of the children, he said.

Watch the Wayne County Sheriff's Office announces the arrests in the Sodus double homicide on WHEC TV's Facebook page: