The Murder of Dena Raley-McCluskey
For this case, I watched the final episode of Gone, it’s titled ‘In A Dark Place.’
A 36-year-old woman disappears in Modesto, California.
Background
Dena Raley-McCluskey had lived in Modesto all of her life. She was the oldest child of three, and was very close to her entire family.
Dena was described as the brains of her family. She was intelligent, outgoing and polite. She also loved country music, and her mom said, Dena knew every word to every song.
Dena Raley- McCluskey
A Complete 180
After high school, Dena married her high school sweetheart. She loved being a wife, and loved doing yard work around her house.
Dena then became pregnant, but miscarried. It devastated her, and her mother Barbara, said Dena never really got over it. Dena started drinking, which led to her divorce, and the loss of her job.
After her divorce, Dena met a man named Mark Keough (in the episode, he is referred to as Kevin). They met at a garage sale that her step-mom and sister were having, and soon they were dating.
Dena’s family said that Mark treated Dena like a princess, when they were around. However, behind closed doors, they had a very violate relationship. Dena had contacted the police several times, but dropped the charges each time.
In the fall of 1999, Dena had enough. She told her mom that she was moving out of Mark’s, and had a new place to stay. She was also going back to work at the county welfare office.
The Disappearance
On October 10, 1999, Dena had contacted her mom, and asked if she could have one of her birds. Barbara said yes, and Dena told her she’d stop over in a few days. Dena never contacted her mom, which was unusual because Dena called to check in everyday.
Two days later, Mark, Dena’s ex, asked Barbara if she had seen Dena. Mark said he went by her office, but they said she never came into work.
Mark reported Dena missing on October 13, 1999. The police and Dena’s family were all very suspicious of him. He appeared very distraught, but Barbara had her doubts.
Dena’s family filed their own missing person report. Barbara said they were taken into separate interview rooms, and asked to make statements about what could have led to Dena’s disappearance. They all said the same thing: Mark was probably involved.
The Investigation
Four days after Dena disappeared, the police began their official investigation.
The police contacted the person who Dena had recently moved in with, a man named Russell Todd Jones. Russell told the police that Dena seemed happy, and nothing seemed unusual. But, he also said that Mark had shown up at his house several times looking for Dena.
The police uncovered a long history of abuse in Dena and Mark’s relationship. There were several 911 calls made by Dena, and by neighbors of the couple. Dena had also filed a restraining order on Mark, and it was set to kick in the day after Dena went missing.
Mark couldn’t provide the police with an alibi. He refused to take a polygraph, and his lawyer told the police that he was done talking with them.
The Search For Dena
Dena’s family put up missing person flyers. They went door to door asking if anyone had seen her. Everyone said no.
After Dena had been missing for five days, the police received a phone call from Mark. He told them that he had found Dena’s missing car. It was on a residential road near Mark and Russell’s homes.
The car was processed, but the police didn’t find any fingerprints, blood or hair. There was one unusual thing that the police did notice, the drivers side seat had been pushed back. It was set for someone who was around 6’o” tall. Dena was tiny, and Mark was described as only being around 5’6.”
The case once again went cold. Dena’s family put together a $10,000 reward. Donna, Dena’s step-mom, was the voice of the family. She wanted press conferences, and for all local media and news to put the word out about Dena’s case.
Other California Cases
During the time of Dena’s case, other women were being killed or going missing in Modesto, or nearby.
The police believed that Dena could have been a victim of the Yosemite murders. Four women were killed by 38-year-old Cary Stayner, in Yosemite Park, just 80 miles east of Modesto.
Chandra Levy and Laci Peterson also both went missing. We now know that Chandra was found in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Laci and her unborn son Conner were most likely (some still believe he’s innocent somehow) killed by her husband, Scott Peterson.
The police focused on Mark. They obtained a search warrant for his home. In his shed, the forensics team did find blood spatter on the wall. However, the test from the lab revealed that it was chicken blood.
Dena’s case went cold again. Her family continued to do everything that they could to keep her case in the media, even when it was overshadowed by other crimes in the area.
A Sick Hoax
A man in a Phoenix, Arizona, prison, who was serving time for attempted murder, sent the police a letter.
In the letter, he said he abducted Dena in Modesto, took her to Georgia, and killed and buried her there.
The police went to speak to this man, and immediately knew he was full of shit. The inmate eventually confessed that he had seen the story in the newspaper, and thought he could get out of prison for awhile if he confessed.
A Confession?
In October 2007, Sergeant Craig Plante, with the Modesto PD, went through Dena’s cold case file.
There was one piece of paper that really stuck out to him. One witness that the police had only interviewed once, refused to take a polygraph test. The witness was Russell Jones: Dena’s friend and roommate.
Sgt. Plante went to Russell’s home, he was still living in Modesto. Russell was asked why he didn’t take that polygraph test. He said he didn’t trust the police, and wasn’t involved in anyway.
The police looked more into Russell’s life, and discovered that he had served time for federal weapons charges, shortly before Dena disappeared.
Two days later, Sgt. Plante, and Special Agent Matt Medina, with the state of California, made another visit to Russell. SA Medina recorded the conversation.
They asked Russell again if he was involved, and this time he said it was a possibility. He said he had found Dena passed out on the floor. He said her face was beaten, she was cold, and didn't have a pulse. Instead of calling the police, this piece of shit wrapped her in a tarp, put two shovels in his car, and took her out to his parent’s property in Groveland, 50 miles away from Modesto.
On October 31, 2007, Dena’s remains were found in a shallow grave, exactly where Russell said they’d be.
The “Conviction”
The police didn’t buy Russell’s story. They asked him again, and this time, he changed his story. He said he and Dena had been out drinking, and she became mad about spending her last $20. Russell said they got into an argument, and Dena slapped him.
Russell said he punched Dena, and with one punch, she was dead. He then buried her on his parent’s property.
In the fall of 2011, Russell was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He served less than 6 years, and was released on parole in April 2017.
Russell Todd Jones
FINAL THOUGHTS
Barbara said that her daughter didn’t receive justice. While she praises the police for their work, the police wish they didn’t focus so much time on Mark. Russell was able to evade police for 8 years. I don’t believe Russell told the police everything, or even told them the truth. He doesn't deserve to be out on the streets, however, sometimes the justice system fails.
Sources
https://www.modbee.com/news/local/crime/article3136872.html
https://thecinemaholic.com/dena-raley-mccluskeys-murder-where-is-russell-todd-jones-now/
https://www.imdb.com/news/ni61451227
http://www.stanislaus-da.org/pdf/news/2007/press-release-jones-11-6-207.pdf
https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/central-valley/article3243260.html
