TX - Thomas Clancy Sr. Found Shot In Trunk of Car Parked at Anatole Hotel in Dallas - Nov'83

[Mr. Poirot]

What an awful event to have gone through. I hope you find answers to your questions & get some justice for your father and family.

I live in the U.K. & my home county was full of 8th Air Force crew during the war years. We have a deep respect for U.S. air crews in our home for the sacrifices they made for our families in the past. If your father was stationed in England its very possible he was stationed close to where I live.
I thank you for your fathers brave service. Men like him are true heroes and we owe them our freedom.

I feel that knowing the motive in your fathers case, either financial or personal, will be the first step in finding the truth. Possibly once that motive is clear everything else will fall into place.

Was your fathers admin assistant investigated in any way? She may of had admirers of her own who were perhaps jealous of your fathers relationship with her.
Also his second wife warrants further investigation also. Evidently the marriage soured for whatever reason and she was unwilling to move out of the home. She accused him of having an affair, but maybe she was having an affair. People sometimes accuse others of the very thing they're doing themselves.

Many unanswered questions.
I believe motive is the key.

Good luck from the U.K. in your search for justice.

 

[barbear]

What an awful event to have gone through. I hope you find answers to your questions & get some justice for your father and family.

I live in the U.K. & my home county was full of 8th Air Force crew during the war years. We have a deep respect for U.S. air crews in our home for the sacrifices they made for our families in the past. If your father was stationed in England its very possible he was stationed close to where I live.
I thank you for your fathers brave service. Men like him are true heroes and we owe them our freedom.

I feel that knowing the motive in your fathers case, either financial or personal, will be the first step in finding the truth. Possibly once that motive is clear everything else will fall into place.

Was your fathers admin assistant investigated in any way? She may of had admirers of her own who were perhaps jealous of your fathers relationship with her.

Many unanswered questions.
I believe motive is the key.

Good luck from the U.K. in your search for justice.

Thank you so much! He was so proud to be in the Air Force (Corps) and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross along with a Purple Heart. He was stationed at Foggia in Italy.
Good idea, but his assistant was never suspected actually, and was the one who first let me know there was a problem. I sure wish I knew if the police ever focused on a motive, but they have never been very forthcoming.

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

I remember this. I'm from Carrollton and I'd go with the river levees also. I'm not sure it was still there but there was Gabby Hall car salvage that had a dirt parking lot that was down from where your dad business was. There was Hickory House Bqq on Industrial also.

 

[Silver9979]

Yes my dad kept his car so clean usually. They did say it seemed like it might have been parked at a lake house. But the Anatole hotel wasn't where he was found isnt too far from the Trinity river levees. I don't think they saved any mud from the car though - I so wish the investigators would tell me things like this!

Does anyone know what information I am entitled to ask for? We tried years ago to get information under the Texas Open Records Act, but the police department fought against it so we did not get much. They used the same reason to deny letting the Vidocq Society help.

I read about the recently signed federal bill H.R. 3359 but can't seem to find out anywhere of what a family member can actually do.

The H.R 3359 bill is a homicide victims families rights act. This gives the immediate family members of a victim of murder to request a review of the victims case file if the murder was committed more than 3 years prior
If the murder was investigated by federal law enforcement enity, or all probative investigative leads were exhausted and no likely perpetrator has been identified. To me it sounds like from what information you gathered he was killed somewhere else ND body placed in the trunk and they drove the car and possibly got stuck in the mud maybe but trinity river and we're able to get it out and place the car where it was found. I would request an application for HR 3359 bill by your local police department because it states in the bill that each agencies will develop an application for the designated family member can use to file a case review. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...6sMDegQICxAB&usg=AOvVaw0fUOKLAgFPlhlhgJgbEqTe

 

[Mr. Poirot]

Thank you so much! He was so proud to be in the Air Force (Corps) and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross along with a Purple Heart. He was stationed at Foggia in Italy.
Good idea, but his assistant was never suspected actually, and was the one who first let me know there was a problem. I sure wish I knew if the police ever focused on a motive, but they have never been very forthcoming.

You're very welcome. Thank you for your reply.

It would be good to know if the admin assistant was married at the time or had a partner etc.
The second wife interests me. Divorce on the cards, accusing your father of having an affair but not wanting to leave the house. That makes no sense, unless she stood to gain financially by staying and trying to delay the divorce.
Your brothers comments regarding ring & watch were also surprising.

Who stood to benefit the most financially?
Who had the biggest personal grudge if any?

No, the police don't seem to be very forthcoming at all. The lack of information for you and your family all these years later is shocking.

 

[HopeRains]

I am not able to find anything in newspapers.com archives. The papers that cover Dallas are not from a time frame that would be inclusive of 1983.

If you have a library card, you could go to your library (or perhaps even do it online), login and use newsbank if they are subscribers. Most libraries are. This may give you access to the Dallas papers of the time and get some of the articles that may have been released.

 

[Doghairrules]

Oh wow thank you! So much! I did read before I first posted, but the police information has been scarce (I understand they need to be circumspect, but at this point I can only hope they have narrowed things down) Yet so many things remain ambiguous to me. But I see what you have told me is exactly what I need to know, and I so appreciate you telling me this.
And yes, I think you understand. I'm in the last part of my life and in addition to waiting justice for my dad, I'm hoping I don't die before I know more. My family really was destroyed by this.
I will figure out better what I can and cannot say (thank you) and post again tomorrow.

You may also want to look into becoming a Verified Insider on this website -- that will afford you much more leeway in answering questions/providing information.

 

[bettyboop]

Thank you! I have not found anything online either - and the police have not been very forthcoming. They just say some good detectives worked on it. We tried so hard, and my sister convinced the Vidoc Society accept his case to work on, but the police turned them down, saying they could solve it themselves, working with the Rangers. But they could not.
Dallas police reject investigative offer - Daughters mad Vidocq Society can't review old homicide

The Dallas Morning News ^ | July 29, 2002 | By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
Posted on July 29, 2002 at 8:01:03 AM CDT by MeekOneGOP

Dallas police reject investigative offer
Daughters mad group can't review homicide; Rangers to study case
07/29/2002
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Police Department has rejected a crime-solving group's offer to review a nearly two-decade-old unsolved homicide.

The department's decision has infuriated three daughters of slain Carrollton insurance agent Thomas Clancy Sr. The daughters had sought assistance from the private Philadelphia-based Vidocq Society.
"If ... [the police] wanted to, they could have found a way to do it," said Janie Williams, a daughter who lives in Dallas.
But the daughters said they were heartened by news that the department has agreed to open its case file to the Texas Rangers' Unsolved Crimes Investigation Team.

​

Deputy Chief Zackary Belton of the Dallas Police Department said the city's attorneys have advised that presenting the case to a private organization such as Vidocq would result in the case becoming an open record and require the department to release its file to anyone who wanted it.
"There is some information that we don't want the public to know," Chief Belton said. "Once we release the file, anybody can come in and get everything we've got. We have no problem working with other police agencies."
A Southern Methodist University adjunct law professor said a 1991 attorney general's opinion found that if a governmental agency voluntarily releases all or part of its records, those records must be made available to the public.
Although the opinion did not specifically address police investigations, Dallas police are "probably acting out of an abundance of caution," said Tim Brightman, a McKinney lawyer.
But he said he believes that if police want to work with Vidocq, the department could argue that releasing the information to the group would be "in furtherance of the investigation" and would not constitute a waiver of investigative privilege.
The department also could seek an attorney general's opinion on whether the use of Vidocq constitutes a waiver of investigative privilege, he said.
Another of Mr. Clancy's daughters, Anita Clancy, said she believes Dallas police are simply looking for excuses to not release the file to Vidocq Society.
"It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she said.
Vidocq Society, an organization of law-enforcement and forensic professionals, has helped other police agencies solve difficult cases, including a Lubbock slaying in which a body was never found.
Mr. Clancy, a 60-year-old World War II veteran, had been missing for several days when his body was found Nov. 15, 1983. He had been shot in the head and his body was stuffed in the trunk of his car at a Dallas hotel.
Mr. Clancy's daughters said they have no faith in the ability of Dallas police to investigate their father's death.
"I don't think they have the time or the manpower, and I think no one has the motivation," Mrs. Williams said.
Police officials have defended the work of previous detectives, saying that a lack of evidence has hindered the case.
Lt. David Elliston, head of the homicide unit, said he had spoken with the Texas Rangers about examining the Clancy case.
"If we determine through that re-evaluation of the case that there's something that needs to be done, we will take action," Lt. Elliston said. "We're going to do everything within our power to solve our case."

Texas Rangers Lt. Gerardo De Los Santos said his unit was created to assist local agencies in investigating unsolved slayings and other major felonies.
He commands a San Antonio-based unit of four detectives and a profiler.
"We have the luxury of concentrating our efforts on these types of crimes only," Lt. De Los Santos said. "You never know what you're going to find when you go out and beat the bushes."

@barbear , I am so sorry for what happened regarding your father. Your father's service in WW2 resonated with me, as my dad served in WW2 as well, as an aircraft mechanic. I am glad you have found us here at Websleuths, as this is a wonderful community of caring and helpful people. I hope I can eventually be of some help myself
JMO MOO

 

[Laughing]

I am not able to find anything in newspapers.com archives. The papers that cover Dallas are not from a time frame that would be inclusive of 1983.

If you have a library card, you could go to your library (or perhaps even do it online), login and use newsbank if they are subscribers. Most libraries are. This may give you access to the Dallas papers of the time and get some of the articles that may have been released.

Has anyone tried any of the newspaper collections:

https://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/TDNP/

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/newspapers

Results: Digitized Newspapers « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.

chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

guides.lib.utexas.edu

LibGuides: Texas History: Texas Newspapers

Use this guide to find primary and secondary sources for the study of Texas history.

libguides.utsa.edu

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

A site for newspapers

newspaper.library.tamu.edu

A sympathetic librarian can be a great ally!

 

[loveplace]

What an awful event to have gone through. I hope you find answers to your questions & get some justice for your father and family.

I live in the U.K. & my home county was full of 8th Air Force crew during the war years. We have a deep respect for U.S. air crews in our home for the sacrifices they made for our families in the past. If your father was stationed in England its very possible he was stationed close to where I live.
I thank you for your fathers brave service. Men like him are true heroes and we owe them our freedom.

I feel that knowing the motive in your fathers case, either financial or personal, will be the first step in finding the truth. Possibly once that motive is clear everything else will fall into place.

Was your fathers admin assistant investigated in any way? She may of had admirers of her own who were perhaps jealous of your fathers relationship with her.
Also his second wife warrants further investigation also. Evidently the marriage soured for whatever reason and she was unwilling to move out of the home. She accused him of having an affair, but maybe she was having an affair. People sometimes accuse others of the very thing they're doing themselves.

Many unanswered questions.
I believe motive is the key.

Good luck from the U.K. in your search for justice.

Has anyone tried any of the newspaper collections:

https://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/TDNP/

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/newspapers

Results: Digitized Newspapers « Chronicling America « Library of Congress

Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.

chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

guides.lib.utexas.edu

LibGuides: Texas History: Texas Newspapers

Use this guide to find primary and secondary sources for the study of Texas history.

libguides.utsa.edu

Texas A&M Newspaper Collection

A site for newspapers

newspaper.library.tamu.edu

A sympathetic librarian can be a great ally!

Those are great resources. Thank you for sharing them.

 

[Laughing]

This one includes the Dallas Morning News into 1984:

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

LibGuides: Historic Preservation: Historical Newspapers, Magazines, and Trade Publications

guides.lib.utexas.edu

Apparently requires creating a user account and log in.

 

[YaYa_521]

MOD NOTE:

Welcome to all new members who have joined to discuss Thomas's case. In an effort to best support families, Websleuths adheres to intentionally strict standards to ensure that only factual information is discussed.

Links to MSM reports or LE statements are required for statements made as fact. The exception to this rule is when we have a Verified Insider (VI) who is a family member or friend of the victim or missing person. The VI process is completely confidential. More details on how to become a VI can be found here: Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Any post stated as fact by members who are not Verified Insiders will be removed. After applying and upon completion of the VI process, these posts may be reinstated.

Thank you for understanding and for posting in accordance with The Rules. Use the Report feature on this post or send a PM to a Mod/Admin if you have any questions about the VI process.

Thanks!

 

[?!?]

Did Jonneth have any children or others whom she may have confided in before her death?

It may be worth contacting any such person to see if they can/will add anything to what is known to the family (or LE).

 

[Lilibet]

The H.R 3359 bill is a homicide victims families rights act. This gives the immediate family members of a victim of murder to request a review of the victims case file if the murder was committed more than 3 years prior
If the murder was investigated by federal law enforcement enity, or all probative investigative leads were exhausted and no likely perpetrator has been identified. To me it sounds like from what information you gathered he was killed somewhere else ND body placed in the trunk and they drove the car and possibly got stuck in the mud maybe but trinity river and we're able to get it out and place the car where it was found. I would request an application for HR 3359 bill by your local police department because it states in the bill that each agencies will develop an application for the designated family member can use to file a case review. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...6sMDegQICxAB&usg=AOvVaw0fUOKLAgFPlhlhgJgbEqTe

BINGO!! Thanks so much for this…it’s the best news yet for @barbear.

 

[Lilibet]

@barbear I echo YaYa’s recommendation to apply to be a verified insider. It will make it so much easier for you to post info and for us to help. Usually one of us will suggest that right away, but speaking for myself, I got so intrigued by your Dad’s case that I forgot to offer the best advice.

 

[Sillybilly]

@barbear has now been verified as a family member in this case. As a Verified member, they do not have to provide links to what they state as fact about about their knowledge of the case or inside information. In all other respects verified members must post in accordance with WS TOS just like regular members.

Please treat barbear with respect at all times. Members may respectfully ask questions of a verified member but don't challenge them or badger them for information they may not have or may not be able to share. If there is something you disagree with, please do not argue with them.

Thank you to barbear and all other Websleuths members who are here to discuss the case and try to find our what happened to Thomas. Justice has been a long time coming for Thomas, and for all his friends and family who loved him.

 

[barbear]

My dad, Thomas R Clancy Sr was one of 14 children raised in upstate New York during the depression to become a successful businessman and a Lt Col in the Air Force. He piloted B17s in WWII, surviving over 40 bombing missions and 2 plane crashes. He had 12 children with my mom. He was the owner of the Railroad Salvage Center of Dallas on Industrial Blvd. for 15 years before selling the business to my brothers after discovering them involved in some embezzlement episodes.

His marriage to my mom lasted over 20 years. Following their divorce, he met his second wife, Jonneth. After a tumultuous 2 years, he told his family shortly before his murder that he was planning a second divorce, and had asked her to move out, but she refused.

The Dallas medical examiner reported that he was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning, November 12, 1983. He was shot once in the head with a medium caliber weapon. The bullet, never recovered, exited the front right side of his head. One brother found his body 3 days later (November 15) in the trunk of our dad’s 1982 Cadillac parked at the Anatole Hotel, also on Industrial Blvd. It was across the street from Marriott’s Clancy's Saloon where my dad had met his administrative assistant before he went missing. His wife accused them of having an affair before everyone drove to their respective homes.

When found, his car was covered with mud. The trunk floor was lined with newspapers and his body was lying on top of them. His hands had been crossed and he was in his typical sleep clothing (boxers and t-shirt). Clearly missing was a small gold initial ring which had for years been too difficult to remove so its absence left a pale indentation. His Rolex, a gold ID bracelet, as well as the small gold initial ring were reported as stolen. One brother asked me 4 years later what I would say if he told me he had our dad's watch casing and ring.

Cold Case Tuesday – Thomas Clancy

The Dallas Police Department continues investigating the 1983 homicide of 60-year-old Thomas Clancy. Mr. Clancy was reported missing on November 11, 1983. He was found dead in his vehicle at 2201 N…

dpdbeat.com

View attachment 397421View attachment 397419View attachment 397420

I don't find anything else about this!

Cold Case Tuesday – Thomas Clancy

The Dallas Police Department continues investigating the 1983 homicide of 60-year-old Thomas Clancy. Mr. Clancy was reported missing on November 11, 1983. He was found dead in his vehicle at 2201 N…

dpdbeat.com

Do you have any other LE reports or newspaper articles to link?

Wondering about those brothers....

Sorry for the delay - but today I was notified I'm a verified member! I'll attach some of the information I have now. Please know I'm so grateful for the advice and information people have given me so far.

 

[barbear]

@barbear has now been verified as a family member in this case. As a Verified member, they do not have to provide links to what they state as fact about about their knowledge of the case or inside information. In all other respects verified members must post in accordance with WS TOS just like regular members.

Please treat barbear with respect at all times. Members may respectfully ask questions of a verified member but don't challenge them or badger them for information they may not have or may not be able to share. If there is something you disagree with, please do not argue with them.

Thank you to barbear and all other Websleuths members who are here to discuss the case and try to find our what happened to Thomas. Justice has been a long time coming for Thomas, and for all his friends and family who loved him.

I am so grateful for your time! Thank you for allowing me to become a verified member. I really appreciate your patience as I learn more about this

 

[barbear]

Do you have anything you could offer information wise? Anyone they looked into? Last contacts? Anyone he was with close to the date he went missing?

Also thank you for your family’s service. My spouse is active duty and a criminal investigator for a branch of the military. I hope one day your dad will get justice for what happened to him. I can tell your dad must have been an honorable man. Your dad was a hero!

I don't find anything else about this!

Cold Case Tuesday – Thomas Clancy

The Dallas Police Department continues investigating the 1983 homicide of 60-year-old Thomas Clancy. Mr. Clancy was reported missing on November 11, 1983. He was found dead in his vehicle at 2201 N…

dpdbeat.com

Do you have any other LE reports or newspaper articles to link?

Wondering about those brothers....

Sorry for the delay - I was just approved as a verified

MOD NOTE:

Welcome to all new members who have joined to discuss Thomas's case. In an effort to best support families, Websleuths adheres to intentionally strict standards to ensure that only factual information is discussed.

Links to MSM reports or LE statements are required for statements made as fact. The exception to this rule is when we have a Verified Insider (VI) who is a family member or friend of the victim or missing person. The VI process is completely confidential. More details on how to become a VI can be found here: Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Any post stated as fact by members who are not Verified Insiders will be removed. After applying and upon completion of the VI process, these posts may be reinstated.

Thank you for understanding and for posting in accordance with The Rules. Use the Report feature on this post or send a PM to a Mod/Admin if you have any questions about the VI process.

Thanks!

Sorry for the delay - I was just approved as a verified insider, so will now be able to reply to some of the questions. My appreciation!

 

[barbear]

Sorry for the delay - I was just approved as a verified insider.
And sorry for the double post, but I think I've got the hang of this now.