June 27, 2021- 6:14 p.m.
Westerville police said Thursday that a woman who was reported missing in late May by her husband was actually killed by him, and then her body was staged to look like she had died by suicide.
Westerville Chief Charles Chandler said Matheu Moore, 50, was arrested without incident shortly after 9:30 a.m. Thursday in connection with the death of his wife, Emily Noble.
Moore has been indicted by a grand jury in Delaware County on two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault, Chandler said.
Noble, who had just celebrated her 52nd birthday, was reported missing on May 24, 2020. Her remains were found on Sept. 16 in a wooded area off a four-lane section of County Line Road near her home.
Lt. Justin Alloway said because of the amount of decomposition, the state’s Skeletal Biology Research Lab was asked to consult with the Delaware County Coroner’s office to determine a cause of death.
Alloway said their report indicated that Noble had suffered multiple facial and neck fractures and that those injuries, because of their nature, were indicative of a homicide.
After receiving that report, a strangulation expert reviewed the file, Alloway said, with the conclusion being that Noble did not die by suicide and that her body had been staged in the wooded area where she was located to appear like a suicide.
Chandler said Westerville officers and a tactical team stopped Moore’s vehicle around 9:30 a.m. Thursday and took him into custody.
Noble had last been seen in Westerville’s Uptown area on May 24, the day before Memorial Day. She had been in the company of Moore at a number of restaurants, celebrating her birthday.
“Our hearts go out to Emily’s family,” Chandler said. “We know this isn’t over for them yet.”
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Chandler did not answer questions at the press conference about how long Noble’s body had been in the wooded area — which was searched by law enforcement, friends and family of Noble in the months after her disappearance.
“Those are all things that will come out during trial,” Chandler said.
As he was led out of the Westerville police station Thursday morning, Moore said his arrest was a mistake and shook his head “no” when asked if he killed Noble.
