Colton Clark, 9, disappeared in 2006 and his body has never been found. Eleven years later, his foster parents, who are his aunt and uncle, have been convicted of killing him
An Oklahoma couple has been convicted of killing their foster son, even though the boy’s body has never been found.
James Rex Clark, 67, and 61-year-old Rebecca Clark, of Seminole, were found guilty of first-degree murder by a Pontotoc County jury.
The couple was convicted in the killing of Colton Clark, 9, and also of abusing him and his older brother, Homer.
They face life in prison when sentenced. The jury recommended a life sentence for each of them, Koco News 5 reports.
At the trial attended by Koco News, Rebecca Clark maintained her and her husband’s innocence.
Homer, who served as a witness against the elder Clarks, exclaimed ‘Yes’ in the courtroom after the judge announced the guilty verdict, Koco News reports.
Colton was first reported missing on April 20, 2006 from his home in Seminole County, Oklahoma.
Rebecca Clark, 61, and James Rex Clark, 67, are pictured with two police officers as their guilty verdicts are read out. They were convicted of killing and abusing Colton, and also abusing his brother. The Clarks maintained their innocence after the verdict was announced
The Clarks said that Colton ran away from home. A report also found a pattern of abuse. Colton had been handcuffed to his bed and allegedly was beaten in the genitals with a cattle prod
The Clarks have said 9-year-old Colton, who was also their nephew, ran away from home. Police initially agreed.
But the case was reopened in 2016 and the Clarks were charged after prosecutors said Colton’s brother told police the couple had abused them both.
And a report from the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth released in October 2016 detailed years of horrific abuse.
The boy’s adoptive father, James Rex Clark, once handcuffed the boy to the bed when he was caught prowling around the house at night with a knife.
The Clarks were also accused of beating Colton and his older brother, and using a cattle prod on the boys’ genitals.
Homer also claimed he was threatened by the Clarks to stick to their timeline of when Colton went missing, even though he says his younger brother was missing from the house much earlier than reported.
Video courtesy of Oklahoma News 4
Pictured is the Clark home in Seminole, Oklahoma. The couple will be sentenced in December. The jury recommended a life sentence
The Clarks are Colton and his brother’s aunt and uncle, and they were placed in the home in October 2003. In November 2004, the couple officially adopted them.
In June 2005, the Department of Human Services received allegations that ‘the children were suffering from issues because of their past abuse’.
Pictured is Colton’s older brother, who testified against the Clarks in court
It took the department two months to send a worker out to interview Rebecca Clark, who claimed that ‘Colt was involved in self-mutilation and other inappropriate behaviors, such as killing the family’s pet bird, starting fires in occupied beds, and prowling around at night with a knife while the other family members slept’.
‘It was reported to the OKDHS that the adoptive dad handcuffed him (Colt) to the bed and as a result, everyone got a good night sleep,’ the report reads.
The DHS worker recommended that the family ‘continue to access all mental health services’ for the children, who had had five counselors in the past five years.
The older brother, who was removed from the Clark home in September 2006, said he last saw Colton lying face down and motionless on a couch. Colton’s body has never been found.
Sentencing for the couple will occur in December.