NC NC- Susan Clary, 19, pregnant, found murdered in bed, unused guns staged at scene, Halifax, May 83'

[aThousandYearsWide]

Susan Shearin Clary was 8 months pregnant when she was murdered in her Halifax County home on May 16, 1983.

Clary's husband, Tim Clary, told investigators that he left their home early that morning to see his father. He said his 19-year-old wife was still asleep.

But just a few hours later, Clary never arrived at Weldon Town Hall, where she worked as assistant town clerk.

Co-workers got concerned and called her father, who went to her home to check on her.

Authorities said her father found the back door of her Weldon home open, and Susan’s body in the front bedroom.

She was naked, a bra wrapped around her neck and her temple bruised.

Chief Deputy Bruce Temple worked the case. He’s since retired from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office.

“There were two guns placed on top of dressers and previous to that they’d been hidden,” Temple said. “The bed was moved out of place. A foot stool, a rather large one was moved out of place,” he continued.

Temple said the guns hadn’t been fired and the bra had nothing to do with the murder. He believes the crime scene was staged.

Temple said they ruled out robbery and sexual assault as motives. Then there was the couple’s guard dog.

“If anything out of the ordinary were to happen, the dog was known to be excessively loud and aggressive,” Temple said.

Temple said the dog didn’t bark that morning.

The cause of death was ruled asphyxiation. Temple said it may have been an accident.

Susan’s husband, Tim Clary, told investigators he’d left the house early on the morning of the murder to help his father.

“I would really like to see her husband be more cooperative because he might, could help us put this case to an end,” Shearin said.

Tripp said he believes the case can be solved.

His office continues to work the case optimistic that one day they’ll be able to give Susan’s family the closure they’ve been waiting for.

Halifax County family waiting, hoping for justice 35 years later

Halifax town still mourns pregnant woman's 1983 slaying :: WRAL.com

 

[jade32]

No signs of forced entry, the crime scene looked staged and husband saw her last. It feels like I am missing something here. Was she still alive when the husband left? If the crime scene was in fact staged, then in my eyes this can't be someone she didn't know. I think that the husband was involved, IMO. And that either something went wrong and she died or he killed her intentionally.

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

No signs of forced entry, the crime scene looked staged and husband saw her last. It feels like I am missing something here. Was she still alive when the husband left? If the crime scene was in fact staged, then in my eyes this can't be someone she didn't know. I think that the husband was involved, IMO. And that either something went wrong and she died or he killed her intentionally.

I agree, and the detail about their dog not barking leads to this as well. The police even say it could have been an accident and immediately talk about the husband. I wonder how he could have accidently smothered her (if it was accidental).

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

According to a article no longer available online she had eaten a reese cup that morning and the wrapper was found near her bathtub. I wish I could find the article. So she was awake at some point that morning. One of the guns was found next to her body. Really strange. It's like whoever staged the scene contemplated using the guns to make it seem more like a random homicide. I wonder where or if they found the clothing she was wearing prior to her death.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

According to the article, Clary, a 20-year-old tax collector for the Town of Weldon, was found dead in her home at 937 Washington Ave. in town that morning. The discovery was made by her father, Herman Shearin, who was notified when Clary, who also went by Susie, did not appear for work at the Weldon Town Hall. Her husband, Timothy Clary, who was employed at Champion International in Roanoke Rapids, was not available, according to the article.

Mayor Sam Oakley of Weldon at that time said in the article, "this office is really stunned."

The Halifax County Sheriff's Office and Weldon Police Department were investigating the incident.

May 17, 1983, Daily Herald article "Death remains mystery pending autopsy"

The article explained that Susan's body was sent to Chapel Hill for an autopsy, and she was eight months pregnant.

According to then Halifax County Sheriff W.C. "Bill" Bailey, his office developed a few leads, and detectives questioned two suspects "extensively" but released them for lack of evidence that would warrant an arrest. However, there was suspicion of foul play.

The sheriff explained his office was notified at 10:25 a.m. on May 16 by Susan's father after finding her body. Bailey said the father, a then member of the Weldon School Board, went to Susan's home after being notified that she did not show up for work and entered through the unlocked back door of the residency. There Shearin found his daughter's nude body lying on the bedroom bed with a brassiere wrapped around her neck.

Bailey held off on speculating if the condition of the body was consistent with strangulation until the autopsy was complete but said there was no evidence of forced entry into the home, no sign of struggle, and no sign of robbery. However, the sheriff indicated that a Siberian husky puppy was inside and a Doberman Pinscher was chained outside. The article continued that Susan's husband, Timothy, told law enforcement he had left the house at about 7:40 a.m. that day to visit his father, Frank Clary, who lived on Route 3 in Roanoke Rapids.

40 years later: Susan Shearin Clary’s murder remains unsolved

WELDON — After 40 years, Susan Shearin Clary's case remains cold after her killer has yet to be apprehended and closure brought to the ones who loved her.

www.rrdailyherald.com