Man Allegedly Stabbed Boss to Death After Complaining About Lack of Work Hours and Struggling to Pay Rent
Clifton Emerson Sr.’s mugshot; Mary Kelly.Credit: Swatara Township Police Department; Mary Burns Kelly/Facebook
Mary Kelly, the manager of a Pennsylvania auto shop, was found dead in her office on Tuesday, Oct. 20
An employee, Clifton Emerson, has since been arrested on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the case
Employees who discovered the tragic scene allegedly told police that Emerson had previously complained about a lack of hours
A Pennsylvania sex offender was arrested on a murder charge after police alleged he fatally stabbed his boss at work.
Clifton Emerson, 63, was arrested by Maryland State Police on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in connection with the killing at Factory Motor Parts on Bobali Drive, the Swatara Township Police Department said in a press release. He is facing a first-degree murder charge, his court docket shows.
According to charging documents obtained by WGAL, CBS 21 and ABC 27, authorities identified the victim as 57-year-old Mary Kelly, who was the manager at the auto parts shop.
Officers responded to the shop around 8 a.m. that day after two employees who called police found spilled coffee and a trail of blood leading to Kelly’s office, the documents state, per WGAL. One of them then saw Kelly’s body on the ground through an office window. She had apparent stab wounds, the outlet reported.
Police said they saw bloody footprints that led to a nearby warehouse. In that area, they also found two knives in a trash can and what they believe was hair, per the charging documents cited by CBS 21.
The employees later identified a red SUV seen in surveillance footage that morning arriving after Kelly did as Emerson’s car. Police alleged he was also captured on camera leaving the scene, WGAL reported, citing the charging documents.
Factory Motor Parts at 1700 Bobali Drive in Swatara Township, Penn.Credit: Google Maps
The employees claimed to police that Emerson had previously complained about a lack of hours and not having enough money to pay the rent, the charging documents state, per all three news outlets.
In a statement shared with CBS 21, Factory Motor Parts said it was “heartbroken” in the wake of Kelly’s death.
“Mary was a dedicated member of the Factory Motor Parts family for many years and meant a great deal to the people who worked alongside her,” the statement read. “We know this loss is especially painful for her family and those closest to her. Our deepest sympathies are with them.”
The shop added that it is “cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.”
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Pamela Vison, Kelly’s older sister, told CBS 21 that they spoke every day, so she grew concerned when Kelly stopped answering her calls. Now, she’s dealing with a loss that has left her feeling “numb.”
“Mary Kate is her full name, she is a lighthearted, mild mannered woman. She really was the sharing soul that I wished I had,” Vison said. “She wanted to keep us all together when our parents died and she damn well did.”
Police said the investigation remains ongoing. It was not immediately clear whether Emerson had been arraigned on the murder charge.
According to the Pennsylvania Megan’s Law registry, Emerson had been listed as a sex offender since 2015. He has previous convictions for aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and unlawful contact or communication with a minor, the registry states.
Source: Crime