The Henry County State’s Attorney announced today they may have cracked the case on a murder that took place over four decades ago in Atkinson.
Mary Ann Becker was found strangled in her living room on September 19, 1974.
She was only 16 years old.
A four-year comprehensive investigation between state and local police resulted in a “circumstantial case” that the perpetrator was Robert G. Clark, who worked with Becker’s father.
Clark passed away in 2015 at the age of 64.
Becker’s body was recently exhumed and a forensic pathologist found no new DNA evidence but noticed a previously unnoted wrist fracture consistent with a violent encounter.
Investigators traveled to five states to conduct over 100 interviews.
Along the way they discovered new information contradicting Clark’s alibi, because Clark confided in his brother that he had not been working at the time of the murder, although his alibi was he had been working at the Victoria Coal mines.
At the time of the murder Clark lived within eyesight of the Becker residence.
Clark will forever be presumed innocent but the Becker family is convinced of Clark’s guilt enough to withdraw their $15,000 offer for information leading to arrest or conviciton.
