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Two face murder charges in death of Donis O. Clanton
StoryDiscussionBy DOUG SMITH Daily Journal Staff Writer | Posted: Saturday, May 8, 2010 3:37 am | (8) Comments
FARMINGTON — Two men face murder charges after the beating death of a Farmington man early Thursday morning. Medical experts say the man died as the result of blunt force trauma which caused “closed head” fatal injuries.
The St. Francois County coroner pronounced Donis O. Clanton, 44, dead just after 8 a.m. Thursday at the man’s home at 121 Oak Street in Farmington. Police found Clanton lying on the floor of his home after they received a tip to check the address. He was unresponsive and evidence showed signs of foul play.
Charged with second degree murder is 27-year-old Jason Allen Parrent and 20-year-old Trevor K. Grice. Parrent showed an address in Farmington, while Grice gave an address in Marquand. Police were also seeking charges of tampering with evidence and misdemeanor stealing on both men. Parrent was to also be charged with endangering the welfare of a minor.
Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said officers arrived at 121 Oak Street at about 8 a.m. No one else was at the house, but as detectives were processing the scene and talking to neighbors, two men showed up at the scene. Parrent and Grice were returning to the house to check on Clanton, officers would later learn.
The two men were detained and questioned. Eventually both made admissions which gave the investigators a clearer picture of the hours leading up to and immediately following the attack on Clanton.
According to police documents, Clanton had invited Parrent and Grice to his home sometime Wednesday. A fourth person, a juvenile male, was also with Parrent and Grice. The evening and overnight hours apparently involved a fair amount of drinking, Baker said.
During the early morning hours on Thursday a verbal argument began between Clanton and Parrent. The dispute eventually turned physical, with Parrent allegedly hitting Clanton several times in the face and head. He told police that he knocked Clanton “out,” but that he was still alive and breathing.
The men told police they tried to clean up signs of the struggle, took some items belonging to Clanton and left the house. According to statements made by Grice, he had walked out of the house with Parrent and the juvenile, but then returned back inside the home and struck Clanton once in the head. He then reportedly walked back out onto the porch of the home and told Parrent that he didn’t want him “going down” by himself, police said. He later told police the same story during the investigation.
The coroner and police chief requested an expedited autopsy be performed on Clanton to determine the exact cause of death. That exploratory procedure showed internal damage matching external evidence of three lacerations to the forehead and noticeable trauma to the left ear and jaw area. The coroner ruled the death as “homicide.”
Parrent and Grice were booked at the St. Francois County Jail on one count each of second degree murder and detained on a 20-hour hold pending further investigation. Parrent was also booked on an outstanding warrant for possession of a controlled substance. The juvenile was questioned at the police department and released to his parents.
Baker and detectives met with Prosecuting Attorney Wendy Wexler-Horn on Friday morning to turn over copies of the police reports to seek formal charges on Parrent and Grice, as well as possible charges on the juvenile through the juvenile court system.
Clanton was no stranger to violence in his lifetime. He reportedly spent 12 years in the Army during which time he trained for and reached the elite position of Green Beret. He spent a tour in Iraq during Dessert Storm, later suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Following his military service he suffered a brain injury after falling approximately 14 feet from a porch. He endured two brain surgeries and had to learn basic tasks such as walking and talking again. He spent several years living in a local assisted living facility, but had since progressed to the point of living in his own home.
Doug Smith is a reporter for the Daily Journal. You can reach him at 573-756-8927, or at
dsmith@dailyjournalonline.com.
Posted in Local on Saturday, May 8, 2010 3:37 am | Tags: Murder, Jason Allen Parrett, Trevor Grice
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