The first-degree murder trial of a Council Bluffs man, accused in the death of his wife, has been put on-hold. Judge Gordon Abel wants authorities to check into a recently received tip that a witness saw 35-year old Tracey Gostomski-Tribble one-week after her May Third, 2006 disappearance. Her body was found floating in the Missouri River, halfway between Council Bluffs and Omaha, 14 days later.
Gostomski-Tribble’s 40 year old husband, Stan Tribble, is on trial for allegedly killing his wife and dumping her body in the River. The medical examiner’s report indicated Tracey suffered from multiple blunt force injuries, including at least three to the head. The couple had a history of domestic violence.
The tip authorities received this week came from a woman who says she saw someone who looked like Tracey, who was being followed by two men in a white van. The witness said the woman’s head appeared to have been bloodied. Gostomski-Tribble’s family were told that police must investigate the tip before her husband’s trial can resume.