Daughter's Testimony Seals Father's Murder Conviction

In September 2015, Kelley Elizabeth Stage Clayton was found murdered in her Caton, New York home, shocking the local community. The investigation revealed a complex case involving her husband, Thomas "Tom" Clayton, and a former employee, Michael Beard. Authorities initially considered robbery, but evidence pointed to a targeted attack.

Tom Clayton's marriage was strained, and he expressed a desire to end his union with Kelley, partly due to financial and familial considerations. Detectives discovered Tom had contacted Michael Beard, whom he had recently fired and evicted, shortly before the murder.

Michael Beard confessed to killing Kelley with a maul handle, stating Tom hired him for $10,000. Crucially, Tom's 7-year-old daughter, Charlie, told police a man, possibly her father due to a familiar mask, was hurting her mother. This statement, along with Beard's confession, led to Tom's arrest.

Beard later recanted, claiming he was hired to burn the house, but his prior actions, including leading police to the murder weapon, contradicted his new story. Both Michael Beard and Thomas Clayton were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.