Aja Johnson Feared Dead as Search Goes Nationwide for Missing 7-Year-Old, Violent Stepfather

Authorities in Oklahoma and across the nation are desperately searching for 7-year-old Aja Daniell Johnson after charging the man believed to have kidnapped her with the first-degree murder of her mother, Tonya Hobbs. Lester Hobbs, Aja's stepfather, is believed to have killed Tonya Hobbs either Saturday evening or sometime Sunday. An Amber Alert was issued in both Oklahoma and Texas Monday and by Tuesday, Comanche County prosecutors saw fit to charge Lester Hobbs with first-degree murder, even though the a definitive cause of death had not been determined by a medical examiner, and with kidnapping. There has been no contact with Lester Hobbs or Aja Johnson and authorities have reason to believe that the life of the little 7-year-old girl could be in danger.

Lester Hobbs, 46, has a long criminal history, according to the Comanche County Sheriff's Office, including several felony convictions. Aja Johnson's grandmother, Alice Dunkin, told The Oklahoman that Hobbs could be especially violent if drinking. "He hated that little girl," she said. "I'm afraid he's already killed her."

In August, Tonya Hobbs, who had become estranged from her husband, filed a court petition for a restraining order because Lester Hobbs had threatened to "hit my daughters in the head with a hammer and kill them."

Hobbs also had a 13-year-old daughter with Tonya Hobbs. That daughter was staying with relatives when Hobbs and Aja Johnson went missing.

The restraining order was granted but dismissed after two weeks when neither of the Hobbs' showed up for court.

But Lester Hobbs, according to Alice Dunkin, had a history of domestic abuse and had had several restraining orders issued against him.

Tonya Hobbs, who lived in Oklahoma City, had taken her two daughters to see Lester Hobbs at his trailer in Geronimo before his court appearance for a DUI on Monday because he had told her he was afraid he might be sent back to prison. On Sunday, after not having seen either Tonya or Aja Johnson, his relatives (the trailer set on Hobbs' relatives' land) grew suspicious and checked the trailer. Getting no answer, one relative pried open the door and found Tonya Hobbs' body. Both Lester Hobbs and Aja Johnson were missing.

And Lester Hobbs never showed up for court Monday and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The girl's grandmother fears the worst. "He never liked Aja, and I'm afraid he's got something planned," Alice Dunkin said. "I figure he's killed my daughter, and I hope and pray he comes back with my granddaughter. But I'm afraid it's looking grim that we'll never find her."

But there is another reason investigators are intent on finding Aja Johnson as quickly as possible. The 7-year-old has a medical condition that requires continuing medication.

With either possibility, Hobb's turning abusive and/or killing the child or her medical condition placing her in life-threatening circumstances, time seems to be running out for Aja Johnson.

"Time is not working in our favor in this situation. We need to find this girl as soon as possible," stated Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jessica Brown.

But authorities have little to go on and one promising lead -- that Lester Hobbs and Aja Johnson had been spotted in Texas -- turned out to be some type of reporting error, according to KOCO.com. Authorities have been put on alert nationwide, but special emphasis has been placed on the states of Texas, Oregon, and California because Hobbs has relatives in those states. But investigators admit that Hobbs could be anywhere.

Lester Hobbs is believed to be driving a white 1992 Toyota Paseo with Oklahoma tag No. 577-BPW, according to police. The car has no hubcaps. A piece of plastic over the rear window.

Lester Hobbs,46, is 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds. He had a mustache when last seen. Hobbs has several tattoos, including the letters "LOVE" stenciled on the fingers of his left hand and "ROSE" on the fingers of his right hand.

Aja Daniell Johnson is 4-feet-tall and weighs 65 pounds. She has shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

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Sources:

CBSNews.com
NewsOk.com
KOCO.com