In the summer of 2018, the small town of Roby, Missouri, was shaken by the tragic death of 56-year-old Susan J. Campbell. Her life was violently cut short on August 19th in a harrowing sequence of events that began in the parking lot of a Walmart in nearby Houston, Missouri. There, she was abducted by her 55-year-old ex-boyfriend, Kenneth Clark of Cabool, Missouri.
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported seeing Clark forcibly push Campbell into a vehicle and drive away.
The relationship between Campbell and Clark had a troubled history, so much so that Campbell had previously sought and obtained a restraining order against him due to his violent tendencies. The abduction prompted an immediate search by law enforcement. Tragically, about two hours later, authorities discovered Campbell's body inside a vehicle at Walt's Convenience Store in Roby. She had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. At the same scene, Clark was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Investigations into the murder revealed a premeditated plot by Clark, who had rented a car specifically to stalk Campbell before abducting and killing her. The legal process that followed saw Kenneth Clark charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and armed criminal action. After questions regarding his mental fitness to stand trial were resolved and he was deemed competent, the case moved forward.
In May 2022, Kenneth Clark entered an Alford plea to the charges. This type of plea allowed him to maintain his innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution had enough evidence to likely secure a conviction. He was subsequently sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and a concurrent sentence of 15 years for kidnapping, bringing a close to the legal chapter of a deeply disturbing case of domestic violence that ended in a tragic loss of life.
