More charges for man accused in deaths of pregnant ‘Food Network Star’ finalist, husband

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A grand jury in North Carolina has added four new charges against a man accused in the deaths of a contestant from the TV show “Food Network Star” and her husband.

Local media outlets report that the Buncombe County grand jury added to the first-degree murder charges already filed against Robert Jason Owens in March. The 36-year-old Owens was in court Tuesday.

Owens is now charged with two counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of destroying remains to conceal death.

He is accused in the deaths of 38-year-old Cristie Schoen Codd, who was pregnant at the time, and 45-year-old Joseph “J.T.” Codd.

Cristie Codd was originally from Biloxi, Mississippi, and had worked as a movie-set caterer. She was a contestant on the eighth season of “Food Network Star.”

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