The Murder of Kelley Clayton
For this case, I watched an episode of Lies, Crimes and Video. It’s season 3 episode 1, titled ‘Poker Night Murder.’
A loving mother of two is found dead in her home.
Background
Kelley Clayton was raised in Elmira, New York, a town just several hours from Manhattan. After graduating from college, Kelley moved to Las Vegas, and worked as a cocktail waitress, before returning back to Elmira.
Kelley eventually met Tom Clayton, who had played for the Elmira Jackals, a minor league hockey team. Tom was described a local celebrity, and was known for starting fights on the ice. Kelley and Tom dated for a few years before getting married, and having two kids. They lived in North Carolina before the birth of their daughter, but moved back to New York, and settled down in the small town of Caton.
Kelley was described as energetic, outgoing, funny, and would’ve done anything for her children.
The Clayton Family
Kelley and Tom Clayton
The Murder
On September 28, 2015, Tom went to his friend’s house for poker, as he usually did on Monday nights. The poker game ended earlier than usual, so Tom drove the 13 minutes home.
In the early morning hours of September 29, Tom called the police. Tom said he had just gotten home, and found his wife dead. Tom told the dispatcher that he was going to take his kids, who had been home with Kelley, to a neighbors. Tom was asked if Kelley was breathing, but he said no.
The police arrived just a few minutes later, and found a very grisly crime scene. Kelley was found in the kitchen, and had been beaten to death. There was blood everywhere, in the upstairs bedrooms, on the staircase, on the floor, table and walls.
When the police spoke to Tom, they learned that his kids had told him that a robber had come into the house. However, there was no forced entry, and one of Kelley’s expensive purses was hanging on the landing on the stairs.
Kelley had fought for her life, and to save the lives of her children. The attack had started in the bedroom. Kelley had then fallen down the stairs into the wall, and she eventually ended in the kitchen. There was blood found in her daughter’s room because she had told her daughter to run.
“He Looked Like My Dad”
Kim, Kelley’s sister, said she received a phone call from Tom around 12:50am. Tom told Kim that her sister was dead. Kim couldn’t understand what she was hearing, and soon she arrived at the Clayton’s home.
While Kim was talking to the police, she remembered being asked who Kelley’s doctor and dentist were. She was also asked if she had a picture of Kelley. Kim said she realized that Kelley was found unrecognizable. Kim said she didn’t know of anyone who would’ve wanted to hurt Kelley.
Kelley’s daughter, Charlie, was just 7 at the time, and had witnessed the murder. She was interviewed, and what she told the police truly shocked them.
Charlie told the police that a man had come into the home, and started hitting her mom with an object that looked like a pipe. She said they were home alone for a bit until their dad came home, found Kelley, and said “oh my God.”
Charlie said the man never said anything when he entered. She said he was wearing jeans, a long sleeved black shirt and mask. Charlie also told the police that the man “looked like my dad,” and could’ve been her dad.
A Murder for Hire?
The police knew that Tom’s alibi checked out, as he had been with his friends at poker game night. The police spoke to the friends who hosted the game night. One of them told the police that Tom had made a call from her cell phone that night, but the number had been deleted.
The police were able to retrieve the deleted number, and it led them to a man named Michael Beard. Michael had recently been fired from Tom’s business for stealing items from homes. Tom was also Michael’s landlord for an apartment he rented in Elmira Heights.
The police were able to trace Tom’s steps from the days leading up to Kelley’s murder. On September 26, Tom had driven to his friend Luke’s house to drop off an ATV. That same day, he asked for the ATV back, and deleted his messages.
On September 28, Luke and Tom switched vehicles. Luke had taken a white truck, and Tom was seen on surveillance footage driving a red Ram truck. Tom then picked up Michael Beard, and gave him the red Ram truck. Tom left for poker night, while Michael went to the Clayton home.
Michael’s Stories
Michael’s wife, Holly, told the police that Michael had left their house on a bike around 11pm, on September 28. Michael then used Tom’s truck, and went to pick up his friend, Mark Blandford, who accompanied him to the Clayton house. Mark stayed in the car, and was Michael’s lookout.
Holly also told the police that she knew that Tom had asked Michael to kill Kelley in exchange for $100,000. Michael eventually admitted to this, and said he was desperate for money after he was fired.
Michael said Tom had left him a key in the garage. He said he wore a shirt with holes cut into it over his face. Michael said he walked up the stairs, and saw Kelley, as she had been walking out of the bedroom. Michael said he hit Kelley in the head with the handle of a sledgehammer. He said he ran downstairs after Kelley let out a scream. He said Kelley had followed him into the kitchen, where he struck her again, and she fell.
The police knew that Kelley had fought for her life. Kelley had been dragged through the house. She also had broken fingers and nails, and her hair had been found in her hands.
Michael also revealed that the murder for hire plot was supposed to include arson. Michael was supposed to strike Kelley as she slept. He was then to use nail polish remover as an accelerant, and use a candle on the nightstand. Tom had known his children were going to be inside the home that night.
Tom’s motive seemed to be money. He and Kelley had taken life insurance policies out on each other, and Kelley’s policy was for $1 million. He was also going to collect the insurance money from the house and vehicles. Tom had also been having several affairs, and told many of the women that he didn’t want to be with his wife anymore.
The Convictions
Tom Clayton was charged with first and second degree murder.
Michael Beard was also charged with murder. He led the police to his clothing, the murder weapon, and the key that he had used to enter the home.
Before his trial, Michael recanted his story. He also refused to take a deal, or testify against Tom. Michael’s new story was that he had entered the Clayton home, and saw a man that he thought was Tom. He said the man handed him the murder weapon, but that he ran out of the house because he was afraid.
In 2016, Michael was found guilty of first and second degree murder. He was sentenced to life without parole.
In 2017, Tom was found guilty, and sentenced to life without parole. He believed he would be acquitted. He blamed the police, and said they had manipulated the evidence. He even went as far as to say that if Kelley was alive she would be disgusted by the investigation.
Mark Blandford was sentenced to 3-6 years in prison for being a lookout.
In 2019, Tom’s conviction was upheld.
In 2020, Michael’s conviction was upheld.
Michael Beard and Tom Clayton
Mark Blandford
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s clear that we still don’t know the whole truth about how Kelley died. Michael will never tell the truth, and Tom sure as shit won’t tell the truth. I think Michael’s first story is the most accurate. Michael left out a lot of details. Kelley fought for her and her children, and died protecting her children. Tom didn’t give a shit about his kids, and hoped that they would all go up in flames, so that he could get the money and be a single man. It’s truly sickening, and I hope he and Michael rot.
Sources
https://thecinemaholic.com/kelley-clayton-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/
https://abcnews.go.com/US/ny-officers-body-camera-reveals-horrific-crime-scene/story?id=46358994
https://www.distractify.com/p/thomas-clayton-now
