[MS] Police Officer Kinne charged with killing girlfriend Dominique Clayton

Oxford Police Officer Matthew Kinne is charged with killing Dominique "Lucy" Lashelle Clayton, mother of 4. According to the attorney rather than the current charge of murder, Kinne should be charged with capital murder. It's put forward by the Clayton family attorney that she may have told Kinne she's pregnant and that initially the police told her family that Dominique had committed suicide. Family quickly dismissed that by showing her connection to their officer. The attorney also mentioned that although Dominique was found in bed shot in the back of her head, her phone and wallet that she always keeps with her were found in the car. (Question while I'm writing this is why are officers being told to resign or be fired?)

NEWS EXCERPTS:

BOY FINDS MOTHER SHOT TO DEATH INSIDE FAMILY HOME, POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
May 21, 2019
[Excerpts] A Mississippi mother was found shot death inside her home, and a police officer has been charged with her murder. The victim, Dominique Lashelle Clayton, was home alone Saturday because her four children were spending the night with their uncle. When they came home on Sunday, her eight-year-old son went inside with hopes of luring his mother out for a prank. He came back outside alone and told his family she was dead... Shyjuan Clayton said her sister was having an affair with Matthew Kinne, an officer with the Oxford Police Department. He has been charged with murder in the case... "(He was) real possessive and stalking her... kept sneaking in her house I guess he did this so he wouldn’t have to tell the wife. He bought my sister a car and kept it in his name," Shyjuan continued. "He was about to get her a house... My sister didn’t deserve to have this done to her. My sister has four kids. Her kids have to grow up without a mom." [Full article here]

MAN CHARGED IN MISSISSIPPI MOTHER'S MURDER FIRED FROM OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT
May 22, 2019
[Excerpts] The man who is being charged in the murder of a Mississippi mother has been fired from the Oxford Police Department... The Oxford Board of Aldermen terminated Matthew Kinne from his position with the police department Tuesday night. Kinne is accused of shooting Dominique Clayton, 32, to death inside her home... According to Dominique Clayton’s sister Shyjuan, Clayton and Michael Kinne were involved in an affair, and the incident stemmed from a “domestic situation.” Friends told FOX13 Dominique Clayton was shot in the back of the head during a domestic situation... [Full article here] https://www.fox13memphis.com/top-stories/man-charged-in-mississippi-mothers-murder-fired-from-oxford-police-department/951127318

DOMINIQUE CLAYTON'S CHILDREN'S FUND
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TEMPERS FLARE AFTER COP CHARGED WITH MISSISSIPPI MOTHER'S MURDER APPEARS IN COURT
May 22, 2019
[Excerpts] Tempers were high after the police officer charged with murdering a mother of four appeared in court for the first time... Family members told FOX13 they were upset that the judge appeared to be lighthearted about an affidavit going missing. Judge Howorth had joked when officers had to take a break to find the charging affidavit. Clayton’s family called that motion insensitive, along with the fact that bond will be further discussed between the state and Kinne’s attorney. The judge told Kinne that because he is an authority figure as a police officer, normally that would entitle him to a “probable cause hearing.” However, the judge then said he doesn’t feel that applies because murder is not in a police officer’s job description... Clayton’s mother also spoke following the hearing, voicing her frustrations about the bond situation. She also said that there was no justice from police. “Put a bullet in the back of her g** d*** head, and executed her,” Bessie Clayton said. “And they laughing (in court)… and they discussed with him what his bond should be? We need help in Oxford.” Family claims Kinne was on duty when he allegedly killed her, saying he came through the bushes and shot her in the back of her head after sneaking in the back... Interim Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen said the department learned on Sunday that Matthew Paul Kinne - an Oxford police officer - was possibly "involved" with Clayton. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation took over the case... [Full article here]

'WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO COVER IT UP': OXFORD OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
May 22, 2019
[Excerpts] A north Mississippi police officer is charged with murder in the death of a woman that he was romantically involved with. Oxford Police Officer Matthew Kinne has been charged with murder by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation... In Mississippi, before police officers, teachers and certain other people can be arrested for crimes committed while they are on duty, a prosecutor is supposed to present evidence of probable cause to a judge. [Lafayette County Circuit Judge Andrew] Howorth set a Wednesday hearing to consider whether that law applies, writing that state officials say Kinne "was not in performance of official duties as a law enforcement officer at the time of the alleged murder."... [Full article here]

MOTHER OF OXFORD MURDER VICTIM SPEAKS OUT
May 22, 2019
[Excerpts] ..."A police officer that we pay to protect and serve, park his patrol car, go in the the bushes, go into my daughter house and point blank execute her? You want him on the street? You want him as your neighbor? No,” said Bessie Clayton, mother... Matthew Kinne is charged with murdering her 32-year-old daughter, Dominique Clayton. Oxford Police's interim police chief says their former colleague, Matthew Kinne, is a danger to society..."Kinne committed murder. We do not want him out and we support them (the Clayton family) and we will stand by them,” said Jeff McCutchen, Oxford Police Chief... The family says she was shot while sleeping. Oxford police confirmed that Kinne and Clayton knew each other early in the investigation. Her family says they had been dating for about a year with Kinne paying for many of her expenses. "He was doing things he couldn’t afford to do. The only way he could see out was to kill my daughter,” Bessie Clayton said... "He need to never to see the light of day again. And I hope he die and burn in Hell,” she said... [Full article here]

JUDGE PRESIDING OVER MISSISSIPPI MOTHER'S MURDER CASE RECUSES HIMSELF AFTER DEMANDS FROM FAMILY
May 23, 2019
[Excerpts] ...Judge Andrew Howorth recused himself from the case involving the murder of Dominique Clayton on Thursday, one day after her accused killer – Matthew Kinne – appeared in court for the first time. Family members told FOX13 they were upset that the judge appeared to be lighthearted about an affidavit going missing. Judge Howorth had joked when officers had to take a break to find the charging affidavit.... According to the document, members of Clayton’s family “requested (or made demand) that the undersigned judge ‘get off this case’... [Full article here]

FAMILY OF MURDERED OXFORD MOTHER WANTS DEATH PENALTY ‘BY FIRING SQUAD’
MAY 24, 2019
The family and attorney for Dominique Clayton, a 32-year-old mother of four who was shot dead at her Oxford home May 19, said they will  seek the death penalty for the man accused of the crime if he is convicted. Matthew Kinne, an Oxford police officer, was arrested in connection to the crime two days after Clayton was killed... Because of the nature of the crime, attorney Carlos Moore, who has been on the job for one day, said he will be seeking the death penalty if Kinne is convicted of the crime. For the death penalty in Mississippi, the murder must be classified as a capital murder, meaning another felony was committed to lead to the murder. Moore said he thinks that's the case here.... "We believe that Ms. Clayton did not let him in her home; we believe she was asleep when he got there," Moore said. "So how did he get in? If he burglarized her home and then committed murder - I believe that's capital murder, and capital murder would deserve the death penalty... Mississippi made it the law that we can execute people by firing squad... This man needs to be executed by firing squad for what he did if he is found guilty in a court of law”... [Full article here]

MAYOR TANNEHILL: NO ACTION TAKEN REGARDING SUSPENSION OF MORE OPD OFFICERS
May 28, 2019
[Excerpts] Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill denied rumors that other police officers may have been suspended or terminated in connection with the murder of Dominique Clayton, a mother of four who was fatally shot May 19... Oxford police officer Matthew Kinne was terminated from his job at the Oxford Police Department on May 21; however, rumors developed that several OPD officers were either fired or suspended for unknown reasons that were somehow connected to Clayton’s murder... “From the time this tragedy occurred, Oxford Police Department called for outside assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to handle the criminal investigation,” Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill explained in the statement. “On behalf of the city of Oxford, I contacted Attorney General Jim Hood … and requested that his office conduct an internal investigation … These two entities will complete thorough investigations with the full cooperation and support of the Oxford Police Department and the city of Oxford... Dominique Clayton was a mother, daughter, sister and friend and I simply cannot imagine the pain her family is dealing with right now. We extend our deepest sympathies to Dominique’s family and friends. It is my prayer that this tragedy will unite us as a community. The most important focus right now is seeking justice for Dominique Clayton.” [Full article here]



OXFORD MAYOR SAYS STATE INVESTIGATING POLICE DEPARTMENT AS CLAYTON MURDER SHAKES CITY
MAY 28, 2019
[Excerpts] ...Tannehill also said that the mayor and Board of Aldermen have not suspended or terminated any other officers, aside from [Oxford police officer Matthew] Kinne... [Full article here]

ATTORNEY: TWO OXFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS RESIGNED IN AFTERMATH OF DOMINIQUE CLAYTON'S DEATH
May 29, 2019
[Excerpts] An Oxford officer charged with murder and now Local 24 News is learning two Oxford Police officers have resigned. The Mayor of Oxford and Police Chief are not saying much, but Carlos Moore, an attorney for Dominique Clayton's family says two Oxford Police officers resigned several days after Dominique was found murdered... A family member of Dominique Clayton shared a text message from one of the officers who resigned.  It said, "I resigned just a little bit ago. All of this mess has cost me my career. Was told to resign or risk being fired and immediately put on administrative leave." The Oxford Police Department would not confirm the resignations, only saying it was a personnel matter... Moore says his team is reviewing evidence to determine if they will file a civil lawsuit. [Full article here]



EXCERPTS FROM ATTORNEY PRESS CONFERENCE:

"The family also wants to know why did certain members of Oxford Police Department initially tell them that their loved one committed suicide. That was so shocking, and the farthest from the truth. The mother had spoken to her daughter about 6 or 7 p.m. the night before she was found dead and she was totally happy and full of life - but the initial reaction from a member or two of Oxford Police Department to tell the family she committed suicide - that had to add insult to injury. And the family immediately told them no - she was dating a cop. Check the car in her driveway. It's registered to a cop, Matthew Kinne. So some of the evidence was so convincing they couldn't deny it and so we're happy that he was immediately arrested and that he is now held behind bars, where he belongs for a long long time. I hope he never sees the light of day if he is convicted of this crime. We know everyone is presumed innocent in America so he deserves to go through the criminal justice system, but if he is convicted we want the ultimate penalty for Matthew Kinne...

... Oxford was somehow complicit and this murder if they somehow enable if their policies somehow contributed to this death with a hold everyone responsible including the city of Oxford... If Oxford contributed to the kill, they will have to pay the bill...

...We have been told that she was trying to leave him. We've been told that she thought she was pregnant and told him as much. So there are several motives, potential motives, why he did what he did...

... We do know that her phone was always by her side but when she was found dead her phone was in her car, and her wallet. That's not her normal MO (modus operandi/habit). She normally always had her phone with her...

... We do know that they did date. I have not spoken with the family about how they met but we do know that she was in security, she was a security guard for a period of time. She worked around law enforcement, and had dated other law enforcement officers before Kinne..."