Ronald Wayne Clark

Case record

Ronald Wayne Clark was sentenced to death on February 22, 1991.

Timeline

• 01/12/90 — Ronald Clark was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Ronald Willis; Clark and John Hatch were hitchhiking to Jacksonville and were shooting at various targets along the roadside while waiting for a ride; Ronald Willis offered them a lift; Clark whispered to Hatch that he was going to steal the truck; Clark ordered Willis to pull over; Willis got out of the truck; Clark shot Willis seven or eight times; Clark pushed Willis’ body into the middle seat and drove to a more remote location; Clark took Willis’ money and boots and dumped his body in a ditch; Clark and Hatch later returned to retrieve Willis’ body, took it to the Nassau County Sound Bridge, weighted it, and dumped it in the water; Clark and Hatch continued to use Willis’ stolen truck; Willis’ ex-wife became worried, located the truck at a motel, and notified police; Clark and Hatch ran away before police arrived; Clark and Hatch fled to South Carolina
• 10/29/89 — Ronald Clark, John Hatch, Brian Corbett, and Charles Mc Elroy Carter drove around Jacksonville and neighboring areas; the men had been drinking together throughout the night; when Clark pulled over off the side of the road to allow the men to go to the bathroom, he retrieved a single shot shotgun from this truck and shot Carter in the chest; the blow damaged the chest muscles and the collarbone; Clark reloaded the gun and fired a shot in Carter’s mouth, killing him; Clark rolled the body into a ditch, taking Carter’s money and his boots; police arrested Clark for the homicide after being implicated by Corbett during an interrogation
• 02/01/91 — John Hatch was sentenced to 25-year imprisonment in exchange for testifying against Ronald Clark
• 02/07/90 — Ronald Clark was arrested in South Carolina
• 02/22/91 — Ronald Clark was sentenced to death for the murder and life imprisonment for the armed robbery
• 03/06/91 — Clark filed a direct appeal in the Florida Supreme Court
• 03/22/90 — Clark was indicted on Count I: First-Degree Murder and Count II: Armed Robbery
• 04/01/01 — John Hatch was released after serving only 10 years
• 08/23/90 — An amended indictment was filed
• 08/27/90 — Clark entered a plea of “not guilty”
• 01/24/91 — The jury found Clark guilty on both counts
• 01/25/91 — Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by an 11 to 1 majority, voted for the death penalty
• 10/04/93 — Clark’s petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court was denied
• 11/16/94 — Clark filed a 3.850 motion in the State Circuit Court
• 12/24/92 — The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence
• 11/01/95 — Amended motions were filed as part of the 3.850 motion
• 02/04/04 — An amended motion was filed as part of the 3.850 motion
• 01/31/06 — Another amended motion was filed as part of the 3.850 motion
• 02/07/90 — Defendant arrested in South Carolina
• 02/07/90 — Trial summary lists the defendant’s arrest in South Carolina

Background

Ronald Wayne Clark was identified as being on death row. The case involved the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County, with Case #90-10067.

On 10/29/89, Ronald Clark, John Hatch, Brian Corbett, and Charles Mc Elroy Carter were driving all around Jacksonville and the neighboring areas. The men had been drinking together throughout the night. When Clark pulled over off the side of the road to allow the men to go to the bathroom, he retrieved a single shot shotgun from this truck and shot Carter in the chest. The blow was received at such an angle that it only damaged the chest muscles and the collarbone. Clark reloaded the gun and fired a shot in Carter’s mouth, killing him. Clark rolled the body into a ditch, taking his money and his boots. Police arrested Clark for the homicide after being implicated by Corbett during an interrogation.

On 01/12/90, Clark and John Hatch were hitchhiking to Jacksonville. Clark was carrying a pistol that he had been restoring. The two men were shooting at various targets along the roadside while waiting for a ride. Ronald Willis saw the two men hitchhiking and pulled over, offering them a lift.

The offence

Once in the truck, Clark whispered to Hatch that he was going to steal the truck. Clark ordered Willis to pull over, and when Willis got out of the truck, Clark shot him seven or eight times. Clark pushed Willis’ body into the middle seat and then Clark drove to a more remote location. Clark took Willis’ money and boots and then dumped his body in a ditch.

Clark and Hatch proceeded with their night, going to a restaurant and visiting an ex-girlfriend. Later that night, the two men returned to retrieve Willis’ body. They took the body to the Nassau County Sound Bridge, weighted it, and then dumped it in the water.

Clark and Hatch continued to use Willis’ stolen truck, and only when Willis’ ex-wife became worried about his sudden disappearance did she drive around looking for him. Willis’ ex-wife located his truck at a motel, and Clark and Hatch were identified as the men driving it. Willis’ ex-wife notified police, but Clark and Hatch ran away before they arrived. Clark and Hatch fled to South Carolina.

Investigation

Police arrested Clark for the 10/29/89 homicide after being implicated by Corbett during an interrogation.

Clark and Hatch were identified after Willis’ ex-wife located the truck at a motel and notified police; Clark and Hatch ran away before police arrived.

Arrest

• Clark was apprehended in South Carolina on 02/07/90.
• Hatch returned to Nassau County where he was arrested.
• Hatch was released on 04/01/01, after serving only 10 years.

Trial

Charges and indictment

Clark was indicted on 03/22/90:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: Armed Robbery

An amended indictment was filed on 08/23/90.

Plea

Clark entered a plea of “not guilty” on 08/27/90.

Verdict

On 01/24/91, the jury found the defendant guilty on both counts.

Death penalty vote

On 01/25/91, upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by an 11 to 1 majority, voted for the death penalty.

Sentencing

On 02/22/91, Defendant was sentenced as followed:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II: Armed Robbery — Life

Appeals

Clark filed a direct appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 03/06/91. In his appeal, Clark did not raise any arguments regarding the guilt phase of the trial.

Concerning the penalty phase, Clark contended that the trial court erred in allowing him to waive the presentation of mitigating factors, in considering two similar aggravating factors separately, and in allowing hearsay testimony about a prior murder conviction. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence on 12/24/92.

Clark filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/04/93.

Clark next filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on 11/16/94. Amended motions were filed on 11/01/95, 02/04/04, and 01/31/06. The motion is pending.

Other details

Co-defendant agreement and sentence

John Hatch agreed to testify against Ronald Clark in exchange for a 25-year sentence. Hatch was sentenced on 02/01/91, and was released on 04/01/01, after serving only 10 years.

Prior murder sentence mentioned

The material states that, on 11/20/90, Clark was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.

Case information

• Ronald Wayne Clark Jr.
• Date of birth: 04/20/68
• Sentencing Judge: The Honorable David C. Wiggins
• Trial Attorney: Henry Davis, Esq.
• Attorney, Direct Appeal: W.C. McLain – Assistant Public Defender
• Collateral Appeals: Christopher Anderson – Registry
• Date of Offense: 01/12/90
• Date of Sentence: 02/22/91