Staff report
A former Austin Police Department officer suspected of murdering Kyle Victim Services Coordinator Samantha Dean in February pled not guilty to a charge of capital murder on Nov. 19.
According to a report from the Austin American-Statesman, VonTrey Jamal Clark, 32, who was indicted on capital murder in October, pled his innocence during an arraignment hearing at the Bastrop County Courthouse.
In addition, Clark’s defense attorney filed a gag order for attorneys and witnesses in the case, which was granted by the judge overseeing the case.
According to the American-Statesman’s report, it isn’t clear who could be affected by the gag order. State Attorney General Jane Starnes, according to the report, estimated over 100 witnesses, with some of them who have not been identified.
Clark, along with an associate, Kevin Leo Watson, were charged with capital murder in Dean’s death. Dean was seven months pregnant when she was found shot to death on Feb. 4 in Bastrop County.
Watson was indicted Thursday for capital murder, according to reports. He is currently being held in the Harris County Jail.
According to warrants that were unsealed as part of Clark and Wilson’s arrest, it was found that Clark had offered to pay two hit men $5,000 to murder Dean and her unborn child, Madeline.
Clark was suspected in the investigation into her death, and was ultimately fired by the Austin Police Department after he fled to Indonesia on July 17.
In September, Indonesian authorities detained Clark on what was described as a “visa related issue.”
In coordination with the U.S. government, Indonesian officials extradited Clark back to the U.S., where he was later arrested.
