Whitehurst makes first court appearance in Mulder homicide case

WETUMPKA, Ala. (WSFA) - The suspect in the 2016 disappearance and homicide of a Wetumpka woman has made his first court appearance.

Thomas Whitehurst, 65, stood with his attorney before Judge Glenn Goggans at the Elmore County Courthouse Thursday morning.

Whitehurst is accused of shooting his live-in ex-wife, Starr Mulder, before leaving her body in the Conecuh National Forest in Covington County. She disappeared in 2016. Skeletal remains found in the forest in early 2020 were only positively identified as her in the last week.

During the hearing, Whitehurst’s attorney said the $1 million cash bond is excessive because the defendant has no prior criminal record.

The 2016 missing person case of Starr Mulder has ended with the positive identification of her remains. Her ex-husband, Thomas Whitehurst, is charged with her death. (Source: Elmore County Sheriff's Office)

Assistant District Attorney CJ Robinson said that finding Mulder’s body was the final piece of the puzzle for their case against Whitehurst, explaining the DA’s office already had evidence in several places.

Whitehurst remains in the Elmore County Jail.

The judge said the defense will file for a preliminary hearing, likely to be held some time in April, during which time he’ll hear the facts of the case and determine if he should award bond.