Wife of missing ex-Green Beret charged with murder after his DNA matches remains found in pond

Yahoo

29-03-2025

The wife of a missing retired Green Beret was arrested Friday after his DNA matched human remains found in a pond near his Cumberland County home, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
Shana Cloud, 50, is charged with first-degree murder and concealment of death in the slaying of Clinton Bonnell, 50.
The first sign of trouble came Jan. 28, when an employee at Methodist University reported that the usually punctual Bonnell had failed to show up to his physician's assistant classes, the release said.
When deputies went to Bonnell's home at 3265 Butler Nursey Road and spoke to Cloud, she allegedly said she hadn't seen her husband since the previous evening, according to the Sheriff's Office.
More: It's been three weeks since a Cumberland County vet went missing. Where is Clinton Bonnell?
"Bonnell's vehicle, along with his school book bag and other items, were located at the residence. Later that evening, an additional call was made by a friend of Bonnell's, requesting an additional wellbeing check be done at the residence," the release said. "Bonnell was ultimately reported as a missing person and the case was assigned to the Major Crimes Investigative Unit."
On Jan. 31, three days after the first report, the Sheriff's Office served the first of two search warrants on Bonnell's home, the release said. The following day, Sheriff's Office investigators traveled to Virginia and, with assistance of the Virginia State Police, served search warrants on Cloud's vehicle, rental property and cell phone. In the ensuing days, several more warrants were executed.
"During the month of February, multiple search warrants were obtained and executed for digital data, to include but not limited to: cell phone records, video footage, digital devices, etc.," the release said. "The data collected was analyzed and used to develop a timeline of events not only surrounding Bonnell's disappearance, but his whereabouts prior to his disappearance."
Then, on Feb. 25, nearly a month after Bonnell missed class, a property owner checking on land in a wooded area in South Cumberland County found unidentifiable human remains in a pond at 4231 Gainey Road. The location is just three miles from Bonnell's home.
The following day, a second search warrant was served at the couple's Butler Nursey Road home.
The news release said investigators learned Friday that DNA collected from the remains was a match to Bonnell's DNA that was on file and analyzed by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System.
"Our hearts go out to the Bonnell family, the Special Forces community, and the Methodist University Physician's Assistant Program during this difficult time. We ask that the public be respectful of their privacy and mindful of the comments made on social media," the Sheriff's Office said. "Out of respect for Bonnell and the integrity of this ongoing investigation, no additional details will be released at this time."
Officials said Cloud was arrested without incident Friday afternoon at her home.
The Sheriff's Office thanked the following agencies for their assistance:• Virginia State Police• North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner• North Carolina State Crime Lab• Armed Forces Medical Examiner System• Fort Bragg Criminal Investigation Division • Fayetteville Police Department Search and Rescue• Harnett County Sheriff's Office Canine Unit• Cumberland County District Attorney's Office
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. J. Mcleod at 910-677-5548 or CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers' information may also be submitted electronically by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org or by downloading the FREE P3 Tips app available for mobile devices.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Wife of Clint Bonnell arrested in his death; DNA of remains was a match