Bonnie Haim, a 23-year-old lovely lady from Jacksonville, Florida, worked in the office of her husband Michael’s aunt’s construction supply company. Michael’s aunt reported to the family that he was verbally and physically abusive to Bonnie at work. Bonnie’s family stated that she intended to divorce Michael by 1993. Bonnie opened a new bank account in her name and had the statements delivered to her office to keep them hidden. Michael later discovered the bank account and threatened Bonnie with closing it, but she was still considering divorce. Without Michael’s knowledge, she left money with a friend and put down a deposit on a new apartment for herself and their 3-year-old son Aaron. She also enrolled him in a new preschool.

Bonnie returned home at 7:30 p.m. on January 6, 1993. She was supposed to meet Michael’s aunt at 8 p.m., but she called her at 8:30 p.m. to say she couldn’t make it. Bonnie vanished after this call, and no one saw him again. When neither Michael nor Bonnie showed up for work the next morning, Michael’s aunt became concerned. Michael stated that Bonnie left after a disagreement, but he had no idea where she had gone and had searched for her. He claimed he was sick, which is why he didn’t show up for work.

On January 7th, Bonnie’s bag was discovered in a dumpster behind a motel 5 miles from her home. Bonnie’s disappearance was not the result of a robbery, according to authorities, because her wallet, credit cards, cheque, and other personal items were still inside the bag. Bonnie’s car was discovered abandoned at Jacksonville International Airport a short time later. There was no evidence of Bonnie, but authorities discovered a shoe print inside the car that matched a different brand of athletic shoe that Michael allegedly wore.

Michael maintains his innocence in Bonnie’s disappearance, claiming that she simply packed her belongings and left him. Their son Aaron, who was three years old at the time, spoke with a child psychologist and allegedly witnessed his mother’s murder. He stated that he witnessed his father shoot Bonnie to death and was asked to assist him in concealing her body. Michael was found responsible for Bonnie’s wrongful death in September 2004 and was charged with paying $26.3 million in damages, including $15.3 million to Aaron and $1 million to Bonnie’s property. Aaron’s statement was central to the crime.

The presiding judge ruled that Michael was emotionally abusive to his son and committed violence against Bonnie in front of him, causing psychological harm. Michael failed to appear in court to give testimony on his behalf. Bonnie was declared legally dead in 1999, and Michael’s parental rights were terminated soon after. Aaron was placed with his mother’s family. They do not anticipate receiving the full $26.3 million owed by Michael in the case.

Discovery:

Aaron Fraser discovered human remains while digging behind his childhood home in Jacksonville, Florida, as part of a renovation project in 2014.
They were the remains of his mother, Bonnie Haim, who had vanished in January 1993 and whose body had never been found.
Prosecutors stated that the discovery aided authorities in apprehending her then-husband, Michael Haim, and charging him with second-degree murder.