Dad Stabbed and Ran Over Wife at Home With 2 Young Children, Police Say

An Arizona man is facing murder charges after authorities accused him of killing his pregnant wife in their garage, allegedly stabbing her in the chest and running over her with a vehicle. Investigators say the 49-year-old later told deputies he had acted after enduring years of “torture.”

Joseph Jay Clark was arrested last week and charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his 39-year-old wife, Noelle Clark, and their unborn child, according to authorities.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were sent to a residence in the 17000 block of South Ridgerunner Drive in Vail at about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9 after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance. Joseph Clark was leaving the property when deputies arrived and was detained without incident.

Inside the home, deputies found Noelle Clark with what initially appeared to be a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple’s two children, ages 3 and 4, were found unharmed, authorities said.

The sheriff’s office initially described Noelle Clark’s injuries as consistent with a shooting. However, an interim criminal complaint obtained by Tucson CBS affiliate KOLD offered a markedly different account.

The complaint states that Noelle Clark was discovered under a blanket in the garage with severe head injuries and a deep wound to her chest that appeared consistent with a stabbing. Investigators also noted that she “showed obvious signs of pregnancy.”

A blood-covered knife was recovered from the children’s bedroom, according to the complaint.

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Investigators further alleged that evidence inside the residence suggested Joseph Clark may have been considering how to “dispose of [his wife’s] remains.”

The reports available publicly do not clarify why the sheriff’s office’s initial reference to a gunshot wound differs from the injuries described in the criminal complaint. The agency did not immediately respond to Law&Crime’s request for comment.

During his arrest, Clark allegedly told deputies that his wife had subjected him to electric shocks for “a couple of years,” claiming he had been “tortured.”

“I was shocked, that’s what caused [this],” he allegedly told authorities.

Deputies reportedly found no visible injuries or other evidence supporting Clark’s claim that he had been tortured.

Tucson NBC affiliate KVOA reported that investigators also observed bloody tire marks on Noelle Clark’s arm, suggesting she may have been run over.

The Clark children were placed in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, Phoenix Fox affiliate KSAZ reported.

Clark appeared in court for the first time Oct. 10. A judge ordered him held on $1 million bond, and court records show he is due back for another hearing on Oct. 20.