OCALA, Fla. — Detectives investigating last week’s slaying of a 20-year-old mother in Marion County revealed Thursday she was stabbed to death in her Anthony home, and the suspect contacted the victim’s father online after the attack.
- Deangelo Leandrew Shelton Clark still hospitalized
- Detectives: Murder suspect called victim's dad on FaceTime
- Investigators think Clark tried to torch victim's house
The suspect, Deangelo Leandrew Shelton Clark, may have tried to set the house on fire after killing Kiara Alleyene on September 11 in her home at 2241 NE 78th Lane, according to a report the Marion County Sheriff’s Office released Thursday.
Clark, 30, remains hospitalized in South Florida.
He contacted her father on FaceTime after the attack. Clark told Sheldon Alleyne that he'd killed his daughter and asked him what he should do.
“According to deputies Sheldon Alleyne told the suspect to call for help, at which time the suspect said no, ‘I can’t because they will take the baby’ and the phone disconnected,” the report said.
Clark took a small girl from the home, prompting an Amber Alert for the child. The alert was canceled later that day after she was found safe with a family member.
Sheldon Alleyne and detectives found her mother in a pool of blood in the master bedroom.
Detectives found fabric, possibly a blanket or some other kind of cloth, hanging out of the bottom of the oven in the kitchen.
“Also present was a strong odor of lighter fluid or other accelerant. A bottle of charcoal lighter fluid could be seen near the front door of the residence,” the report said. “The blanket and lighter fluid give the suggestion that the suspect attempted to set the house on fire.”
Meanwhile, Clark was driving south in a Mazda CX7.
Officers in the Florida Keys found Clark with burns to his arms, allegedly after he broke into a home on Long Key. He was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center in Miami.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a home burglary at 69401 Overseas Highway on Long Key just north of the town of Layton at 10 a.m. September 11.
“Responding deputies received high quality video of the suspect and car,” the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said. “The suspect left the home with some unknown items. Deputies did not know they were looking for Clark at that time.”
After a be-on-the-lookout was issued for the suspect, another 911 call came in from Edgewater Road at Mile Marker 57.3 on Grassy Key. “The reporting person stated a man was screaming that his car blew up and that he was burnt,” the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
A third 911 call came in about a fire at an adjacent property at 57336 Overseas Highway very near the Edgewater Road property.
“A car was engulfed and caught the stilted 57336 home on fire as well,” deputies said. “The car was a Mazda CX7 sport utility vehicle, the same car Marion County officials reported was being driven by Clark.”
Marathon Fire Rescue paramedics took him to the Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit hangar at the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport, where he was airlifted to Miami for treatment of serious burns.
