'Justice was done': Ocala jury finds man guilty of stabbing his girlfriend to death

Two murder trials held last month ended swiftly. One verdict was reached in 31 minutes. A second was reached in 48 minutes.

The verdict in the murder trial that wrapped up Friday took a comparatively long one hour and 19 minutes — but that included the jury's noon-1 p.m. lunch break.

The six-member jury found Deangelo Leandrew Shelton Clark guilty of second-degree murder and attempted arson of a dwelling or structure in the stabbing death of his estranged girlfriend, 20-year-old Kiara Alleyne, nearly four years ago.

When the verdict was announced in court, Clark seemed indifferent.

Told by Circuit Judge Robert Hodges that he was entitled to a pre-sentence investigation before sentencing, Clark boldly said: "I really don't care." The judge told him he was legally entitled to the investigation, but Clark again said "I really don't care."

Nevertheless, one of Clark's lawyers, Amanda Sizemore from the Public Defender's Office, asked the judge to delay sentencing so they could prepare for the hearing. Jessica Roberts and Sara Altes also were on the defense team.

As he was being handcuffed, Clark, 34, of Anthony, turned and nodded to his parents, who attended the trial since it started on Wednesday. When their son was escorted by a bailiff to the back, Clark's parents quickly left the courtroom. Clark could be sentenced up to life in prison.

Reaction to the verdict

Outside the courtroom, Alleyne's father, Sheldon Alleyne, sat on a metal bench and cried after the verdict was announced. He was comforted by family and friends. They all thanked Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Katrina Self, and the entire State Attorney's Office, for their help.

"Thank God. It doesn't bring her back, but justice was done," an emotional Alleyne told a Star-Banner reporter.

Kiara Alleyne's bloody body was discovered by sheriff's deputies in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 2019. Deputies went to the couple's residence at 2241 NE 78th Lane in Anthony to conduct a well-being check on Alleyne. The woman's father and friend had separately called law enforcement and asked for such a check.

Alleyne's father was on the phone with Clark when he saw blood on the man's face. Still on the phone, Clark showed Alleyne's father that Kiara was bleeding heavily and gasping.

Alleyne asked Clark three times to help his daughter, but Clark refused. He told the woman's father that they would take the baby and hung up the phone.

Deputies said Clark took their 11-month-old child, Jhene, to a relative. Clark then went to the Florida Keys, where authorities said he set the car on fire and was severely burned. Clark was returned to Marion County when his wounds had healed sufficiently.

Assistant State Attorney Self's closing argument

Alleyne's death is considered a domestic violence homicide. According to records from the Marion County Children's Alliance Family Prevention Workgroup, Alleyne's death was the ninth such death in 2019. The final number was 11 for that year.

Self told jurors in her closing argument that Clark was so mad at Alleyne, he stabbed her repeatedly and "the blade broke off the knife."

A doctor from the Medical Examiner's Office had testified that Alleyne was stabbed four times in the neck. She also had other cut marks on her body.

The prosecutor said Clark "brutally and violently" stabbed the young woman because he was angry that she had kissed another man on their anniversary. Clark and Alleyne had been dating for two years. Alleyne, who's from Trinidad, lived in North Dakota when she met Clark. The couple later moved to Marion County.

"Deangelo wanted to hurt her just like how she hurt him," Self said.

As for the defense theory that the death was a suicide, Self said: "Kiara's death was not a suicide." Self noted that the doctor who performed the autopsy also ruled out suicide.

Self said there was a struggle and he stabbed her. She said when Alleyne's father begged Clark to help his daughter, he refused.

"He did not call for help," Self said. She reminded jurors that the woman's father watched her choking on her own blood during that FaceTime telephone call.

The prosecutor described Alleyne as a great sister and friend, a caring mother and a hard worker who had her whole life ahead of her. Alleyne, she said, wanted to be a model.

Self said Alleyne and her new boyfriend "were building a life together" and he treated her well.

The defense closing argument

Sizemore said the important question throughout the trial was "who has the knife?" She argued that Alleyne had the knife and Clark called Alleyne's father for help because she was acting crazy. On the FaceTime call, Sizemore reminded the jury, Alleyne's father did not see Clark stabbing his daughter. He just saw blood.

The defense lawyer said Clark leaving the residence after the death was not evidence of guilt. She asked the jury: Why would Clark kill his girlfriend and call her father to broadcast what he had done? She said that's not reasonable.

The lawyer said there was no evidence of defensive wounds on Alleyne. Testimony presented in court suggested that the severe stab wound to Alleyne's neck would have caused death within minutes.

"There's nothing Deangelo Clark could've done," the defense attorney said when explaining why her client didn't call for help.

Her theory: Alleyne had the knife to her neck, was moving around, and eventually stabbed herself. She said Alleyne had a history of depression. Plus, she was being pressured by her boyfriend and wanted to return to her homeland of Trinidad. It all led to a breaking point.

Sizemore blamed law enforcement officials for not doing their jobs. She said they moved items around, did little to nothing to preserve evidence, failed to interview witnesses in a timely manner, and didn't wear shoe coverings at the crime scene, even though there was blood everywhere.

Day 1 trial coverage: Prosecutors say Anthony man murdered his girlfriend. Defense says she committed suicide

Day 2 trial coverage: Experts differ on whether victim killed herself or was murdered

Sizemore said Clark knew about his girlfriend's affair a long time ago. To suggest he killed Alleyne out of rage or jealousy was not plausible. Calling the incident "tragic," Sizemore said Alleyne was "suicidal" and wanted "to end her life."

The state's rebuttal argument

In rebuttal, Self said Alleyne's new boyfriend "wasn't pressuring her," and also noted that Clark's DNA was found on the knife handle.

Sizemore said Alleyne was not suicidal, and any suggestion otherwise was untrue. She said Alleyne and her new boyfriend were ready to move on.

"This is a homicide," Self said.

Self showed jurors the last text message Alleyne sent to a friend just before she died. In it, Alleyne talked about wanting to leave Clark. She told her friend that she was strong, not afraid, and would fight Clark for custody of their child.

Jurors deliberate

Two of the eight jurors were dismissed by the judge because they were serving as alternates. Jurors went to the back to deliberate at 11:41 a.m. Friday.

The judge gave the panel an hour lunch break and told jurors that no one would be available until 1 p.m. to answer any questions.

As everyone was making their way to the courtroom at 1 p.m., bailiffs said the jury already had reached a decision.

Once the lawyers were seated and Clark was brought from the back to the defense table, the judge called the jury into the courtroom. At 1:21 p.m., the clerk read the verdict aloud.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Six-member jury says Anthony man murdered his girlfriend in 2019