The ex-husband of a Deer Park woman who was found murdered in her Reiper Avenue home on Dec. 3 was charged with first-degree murder and second-degree burglary in connection with her death.
Clay Starbuck was taken into custody on Monday.
Chanin Starbuck’s body was discovered following on a welfare check request from friends and family after they noticed a large amount of mail not being picked up at her home. Deputies found Starbuck's body on the bed.
The subsequent investigation showed that she had been beaten and strangled a few days before her body was found. They also found signs of forced entry into the residence.
Detectives interviewed a number of people, including people she had recently dated, and asked a number of people, including her ex-husband, for DNA samples.
DNA test results from the state crime lab were returned to Spokane County Sheriff’s detectives last week. It's not clear on what role those test results played in Clay Starbuck's arrest.
The Starbucks, who had been married, divorced, remarried and divorced again, had five children together. At the time of Chanin Starbuck's murder the couple were locked in a contentious battle over child support. Clay Starbuck owed $9,000 in child support and related fees.
Chanin Starbuck also thought her estranged husband had been stealing from her and had security cameras installed in her home in the hopes of catching the thief in action.The cameras were seized as part of the investigation.
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