Kyron Horman's Stepmother, Terri Horman, Getting Death Threats, Lawyer Says

In an out of court settlement, Terri Horman has agreed to move out of her home

ByABC News via logo
July 4, 2010, 1:28 PM

July 16, 2010 — -- Kyron Horman's stepmother, who has reportedly received three death threats, has made an out-of-court settlement agreeing to move out of the family's Oregon home by 3 p.m. tomorrow.

In the six weeks since 7-year-old Kyron Horman disappeared from his elementary school science fair, Terri Horman has gone from devoted mother to despicable villain in the eyes of her family, which has accused her of withholding infomation about her last moments with Kyron and allegedly attempting to hire the landscaper to kill her husband.

But Horman's lawyer, Stephen Houze, is now saying that the media frenzy surrounding the case has morphed into a "witch hunt."

ABC Portland affiliate KATU reported that Terri Horman has requested money from Kyron's father, Kaine Horman, to move out of the house they once shared, but her now-estranged husband has refused. Houze said Terri Horman has had a hard time finding a new place to live. He has said he'll ask the judge to give her until Monday to leave.

Kaine Horman moved out of the famiy's home with the couple's 20-month-old daughter after learning of the alleged murder-for-hire plot.

Terri Horman has not been charged or named a person of interest in either Kyron's disappearance or the plot against her husband.

Court documents released earlier this week added to the growing list of odd behavior coming from Terri Horman. Her husband claimed in a filing in which he attempted to have his wife held in contempt for violating the emergency restraining order granted June 28 that she tried to "abduct" her 20-month-old daughter from a gym day care after the emergency restraining order was granted.

And while the rest of the family was consumed by the desperate search for Kyron, Terri Horman was allegedly carrying on an affair with a 37-year-old Michael Cook, a former classmate of Kaine Horman's, according to the documents. The affair purportedly began four days after Kaine Horman moved out and investigators, according to the court papers, said they've "obtained hundreds of text messages, as well as several photographs of respondent [Terri] in various stages of undress and graphic sexual activity."

The court documents accused Terri Horman of sharing sensitive information with her new boyfriend about the police investigation into Kyron's disappearance.

The new allegations came hours after Houze sent a letter to the judge stating that she would not contest the restraining order that would keep her away from her daughter, or her husband's request to move out of the family's Portland home.

Cook told a local television station that he was planning to hire an attorney, but while there was "inappropriate communication" with Terri Horman, he never had sex with her.

Kaine Horman and Kyron's biological mother, Desiree Young, have said they had little doubt that Terri Horman is somehow involved with their son's disappearance. Young has pleaded with Terri Horman to "do the right thing."

Terri Horman and her attorney have declined to comment on the allegations made by Kyron's parents.