Virginia doctor charged with killing his long-missing girlfriend, nurse Zulma Pabon

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- Chesterfield County police have arrested a physician in suburban Richmond, Virginia, after he was indicted for allegedly killing his girlfriend, who has been missing since 2014.

The department said in a news release that officers arrested 39-year-old Dr. John E. Gibbs II of Ashland on Tuesday. Authorities say a grand jury indicted Gibbs Monday on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Zulma Pabon.

Investigators say Pabon, a nurse, was last seen on June 6, 2014, leaving her job at a hospital in the same complex where Gibbs worked. Officials said her boyfriend, Gibbs, didn’t report her missing and wasn’t cooperative with police, reports CBS affiliate WTVR.

Police say detectives believe Pabon is dead, although her body has not been found. Investigators say the case is now classified as a no-body homicide.

Gibbs appeared via video conference from jail in Chesterfield Circuit Court Wednesday morning, reports WTVR. His attorney, Debra Corcoran, told reporters outside court her client is innocent.

Pabon’s sister, Yalitza Soba, told the station she was pleased to learn police arrested Gibbs and looks forward to justice.

“It’s just a roller coaster of emotions, being really sad and depressed to angry,” Soba said. “Just getting that phone call and knowing that he has been arrested, it brought tears to my eyes.”

In a separate case, Gibbs was arrested in February 2016 and charged with child neglect after police said he left his 5-year-old son alone on more than one occasion. He was found guilty in November, the station reports, and was awaiting sentencing when he was arrested on the murder charge.