Wife Of Murder Suspect Arrested As Accessory

The wife of a man charged with murdering a 70-year-old La Quinta woman in June has been arrested and charged with being an accessory to the crime, the sheriff’s department said today.

On Friday, sheriff’s investigators arrested Madelyn Alexis Oudin, 73, of Lakewood, and booked her at Indio Jail for suspicion of being an accessory in the murder of Judy Munson, her sister-in-law. Munson was found dead June 11 by a housekeeper on the floor of her home, according to a sheriff’s spokesman.

Oudin’s husband, James Charles Oudin, 73, and Wesley Elwin Gibbs Jr., 46, of Hesperia, were charged Friday with murder and conspiracy in Munson’s death. Munson is James Oudin’s sister.

Gibbs pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday afternoon at Larson Justice Center in Indio. James Oudin’s arraignment was rescheduled from Friday to Monday because he had to be transported from the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside, according to court records.

James Oudin was arrested Thursday in Lakewood and Gibbs was arrested Wednesday in a remote area of eastern San Bernardino County, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Herman Lopez.

In June, an autopsy revealed Munson suffered injuries consistent with a homicide, Lopez said, declining to give specifics.

Gibbs and James Oudin are being held without bail.