Kelley Clayton, a lovely wife and devoted mother of two young children was murdered in her own house by a blunt object.
Thomas Clayton made a panicked 911 call in September 2015, which sent the officers to his home in the New York hamlet of Caton. They discovered his wife Kelley inside, having been savagely murdered.
A disturbing case of murder-for-hire is the topic of NBC News’ “Dateline: The House in the Woods,” whereby the defendants were found guilty thanks in large part to circumstantial evidence.
Hence, we have information for you if you’re interested in what transpired.
What Happened To Kelley Stage Clayton? Murder For Hire Mystery
On September 29, 2015, just after midnight, Thomas left for a friend’s house and came back to see Kelley dead and drenched in blood in the kitchen. The moment he dialed 911, the police arrived on the scene quickly.
The 35-year-old woman’s head and face were severely injured by blunt force. The police launched an inquiry after discovering that the house’s evidence did not support a robbery.
The revelation that Kelley was a victim of a murder-for-hire scheme, however, seemed hardly credible.
As per reports, the individual Thomas hired to murder his wife was known by the name Michael Beard.
As soon as Michael was in detention, he admitted to killing Kelley with a maul handle in return for $10,000. Later, he changed his story, stating that Thomas had simply requested him to burn down the home, not to murder anyone.
Related: Where Is Thomas Clayton Now? Dateline Explains The Killer Husband’s Murder Plans
Kelley Stage Clayton Husband Thomas Clayton Arrested For Killing Wife
Thomas Clayton, 44, was arrested and is presently serving a life term for first-degree murder in Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York.
In February 2017, Thomas was convicted of first-degree murder following about six weeks of trial processes. The jury was persuaded by CCTV footage and cell phone records that he paid Michael to murder Kelley.
Thomas received life in prison without the chance of release judgment in April 2017. A 2019 appeal resulted in the affirmation of his conviction.
According to ABC News, Clayton urged a lady who was also present to let her use her phone as they were playing poker that evening. Prior to getting home, when he found Kelley’s death, he made the call, which was around 90 minutes earlier.
Earlier that year, Clayton “doubled his wife’s life insurance coverage,” the police also learned. They would also undoubtedly find out that Clayton was purportedly dating other women.
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Where Is Kelley Stage Clayton Killer Michael Beard Today?
After being found guilty, Michael received consecutive 25-year sentences for second-degree murder and a life sentence without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder.
He is still detained at the Auburn Correctional Facility in Cayuga County, New York, and is currently around 41 years old.
While Thomas did employ him, according to Michael’s testimony, it wasn’t for the purpose of killing Kelley. He said that it was done in order to set the Clayton home on fire in order to obtain insurance money.
Thomas allegedly assured Michael the home would be unoccupied, but Michael said he panicked when he saw Kelley dead and left without doing anything.
In November 2016, the jury found him guilty of two charges of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree murder after rejecting his explanation.