Former pastor's mother, ex-wife and daughter testify at bond hearing

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A former Stoddard County pastor accused of hiring a couple from his church to burn his home and kill his wife appeared in court again Wednesday.

The bond hearing -- the first since Donald Lafferty's arraignment May 19 -- included testimony from his estranged sister, Annette Kay Roberts; his mother, Goldie Lafferty; and his former wife, Mildred Sandage.

Sandage offered emotional testimony, saying Lafferty should not be released from jail. Lafferty, 69, was arrested May 12 in Andover, Massachusetts, and extradited to Missouri to face charges of attempted murder, armed criminal action, first-degree arson and financial exploitation of the elderly. His defense attorney recently filed a motion to set bond.

"Under the circumstances, what has happened has scared me," Sandage said.

Before Lafferty's arrest, Sandage said the two stayed in contact and talked regularly. She testified she "had no idea" of what had happened until she read it in the newspaper.

She told a story of having felt like she was drugged on the day in January 2013 when she awoke to find her house on fire. The fire later was determined to have been set deliberately.

"I didn't think I was poisoned, more like they put me to sleep," Sandage said.

For months following the fire, Sandage and Lafferty lived together with her daughter from a previous marriage until the fall of 2013, when the couple decided to divorce.

Sandage testified she would never leave food or drinks unattended in Lafferty's presence and that once they separated, she always kept her vehicle and house locked.

"I felt like the night of the fire I was drugged," she said. "The good Lord woke me up from the heat of the fire and saved me from the flames."

Lafferty's sister, Annette Roberts, testified that in addition to a recent alleged theft of money from his mother, Lafferty stole $75,000 from her 10 years earlier.

She said their mother filed a lawsuit and was eventually repaid the money over the course of two years.

Because of her involvement in his prosecution for the current exploitation charge, Roberts said, she has concerns about possible retribution if Lafferty is released on bond.

"I'm not sure what he's capable of doing," she said, acknowledging that she sees him as a substantial physical threat.

On cross-examination by Lafferty's attorney, Roberts testified that Lafferty had broken into her home 20 years earlier with one of his brothers to borrow a guitar from her husband.

Lafferty's mother also took the stand Wednesday afternoon, testifying about the money her son allegedly took from her.

"It was my money -- I worked for it," she said. "I didn't need it all, so I just kept it."

She stopped short of saying she was afraid of Lafferty, but did acknowledge she has concerns about what could happen if he is released.

"As long as he's locked up, I don't have to worry about him," his mother said.

She said if he were released, she would have to keep her house locked, out of concern he would come to visit her unannounced. She did say on cross-examination that she would see him if she knew he was coming.

The two never made eye contact during the hearing.

At the hearing's conclusion, Judge Joe Satterfield took the issue under advisement. He did not indicate when a ruling might be expected.

The case is set for a preliminary hearing June 19.

The two co-defendants in the case, Christopher and Brandy Hicks, are scheduled to appear before Satterfield on June 5.