San Angelo man sentenced for murder and assault
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) —Paul Daniel Zipper, 54, was sentenced to 50 years in prison on charges including murder, aggravated assault, and tampering with a corpse after a contested sentencing hearing concluded on June 25.
The charges stem from a series of violent incidents on May 25, 2022, when San Angelo police responded to Shannon Medical Center for a gunshot victim. Detectives linked Zipper to the shooting of Otis Bryan and the murder of Shawn Clark.
RELATED: Timeline of the investigation of Shawn Clark’s death
According to a press release from the Tom Green County District Attorney’s Office, Bryan spoke with law enforcement on May 26, once he was out of surgery. He indicated that Zipper was the one who shot him and Clark.
Bryan’s girlfriend told law enforcement that Zipper had threatened her by pointing a gun at her. After the shooting Zipper said he would not leave any witnesses if he did not retrieve surveillance cameras from the house, court records report.
Evidence recovered from the crime scene during a search warrant indicated the body had been moved, with blood smears leading out of the garage where the shooting took place. Two shell casings were also found at the scene along with a live round.
Clark’s wife had reported him missing on the afternoon of May 25, however, his body was discovered by ranch hands on June 8, 2022. A firearm was also located two feet away from Clark’s body.
RELATED: Body found in Irion County
On May 25, 2022, Zipper engaged in a high-speed chase with the Irion County Sheriff’s Office, reaching speeds of over 90 mph near the Irion-Tom Green County line. Court records report that law enforcement eventually lost him during the chase.
Zipper was arrested on May 26, 2022, following a high-speed chase. He initially denied involvement, claiming Clark had borrowed his vehicle.
District Judge Ben Woodward sentenced Zipper to the maximum penalties agreed upon in his plea deal: 50 years for murder, 20 years for aggravated assault and tampering with a corpse, and 10 years for evading arrest, all to run concurrently.
“We hope this verdict brings a sense of justice and peace to Shawn Clark’s family,” said the district attorney’s office.
They thanked the San Angelo Police Department, the Irion County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Texas Parks and Wildlife for their assistance in the investigation.
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