Naman Shrestha
Hulu’s ‘Enemy at the Gate’ chronicles the neighborly feud that turned deadly for Joseph Clifton, who lived on the outskirts of Viola, Arkansas, with his wife, Denise Clifton, and their son, Jenkins. When he was tragically killed in September 2009, the authorities launched an investigation that uncovered a series of disagreements over a gated road dispute between the deceased man and a neighbor. The documentary explores the intricate details of the case and the swift investigation, and features insightful and emotional interviews with Joseph’s loved ones and the officials involved.
Joseph Clifton Was Killed In Front of His Young Son
Born on June 13, 1977, Joseph Leslie Clifton was the beloved son of Larry Joe Clifton, who seemingly raised him with love and support. After completing his education, he became an insurance adjuster. On the personal front, he was married to the love of his life, Denise Clifton, with whom he had a son, Jenkins. Not long after their son’s birth, in 2007, the couple relocated to a farmhouse just outside Viola, Arkansas, seeking a more peaceful life. Meanwhile, his wife was studying to be a nurse practitioner at a clinic in Batesville. Although Joseph’s work required him to be away from home quite a lot, he was a devoted husband and a doting father nonetheless.
The Cliftons’ lives turned upside down on the fateful day of September 3, 2009, when Joseph picked up Jenkins from his daycare and returned home, while Denise decided to run a few errands before returning home from the clinic. As the insurance adjuster arrived at his home in his pickup truck, he was ambushed and shot to death, with his son in the backseat. When Denise finally reached home, she found her 32-year-old husband dead in the driver’s seat and her son physically unharmed in the backseat. While the police were on their way, she tried resuscitating him through CPR, but couldn’t. The investigators inspected the crime scene and determined that Joseph’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Thus, a homicide investigation was immediately launched.
Joseph Clifton’s Killer Was in a Feud With His Family Over a Gated Road
The investigation was swift as the authorities suspected that a long-running feud with one of the Cliftons’ neighbors could be the reason behind the murder. Over the previous months, Joseph and Denise Clifton had been in constant disagreement with Richard Gordon, a retired military man who ran a small farming operation from his home. The feud originated over a gated road dispute, with the Cliftons reportedly claiming the road fell within their property. As they kept a lock on the road, Richard reportedly became infuriated as he had to take a long way to his destination. In the months prior to the murder, Denise claimed that her babysitter had alleged that Richard had come armed with a gun to the Clifton residence and tried to attack Jenkins.
When confronted about the incident, Richard denied the allegations, claiming it was a misunderstanding and that he was only deer hunting in the area. Denise also alleged that the neighbor tried to attack her and her son while they were driving a tractor. In light of the unfriendly history between the Cliftons and Richard, the detectives went straight to his home after assessing the crime scene, where they found shoe prints that matched his shoes. His wife also told the authorities that he had confessed to killing Joseph and had removed the shell casings from the scene of the crime. After getting arrested, Richard admitted to shooting his neighbor but claimed that it was self-defense. As per his accounts, Joseph first threatened him, after which he shot him to death in his truck. Later, he was charged with the murder of his neighbor.
Richard Gordon is Currently Incarcerated at an Arkansas Prison Facility
About a year after his arrest, Richard Gordon stood trial in September 2010. After two days of testimony, the jury came back deadlocked and declared a mistrial. The following year, his second trial commenced in July 2011. During the trial, the defendant maintained that he had shot Joseph Clifton in self-defense. According to his version of events, Joseph first brought his .270-caliber rifle up to shoot Richard when the latter shot him with his .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol. However, his claims were contested by witness testimonies. For instance, Joseph’s rifle was still lodged between the seat and the center console of the truck after the incident, indicating that he never picked up the rifle.
One of the witnesses was Richard’s wife, who testified that he had confessed his crime to her and told her that Joseph had begged him not to pull the trigger. In the end, the accused was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison and an additional 15 years for the gun enhancement. In October 2012, the killer’s appeal for a third murder trial was rejected by the Supreme Court. As of today, the 78-year-old killer is serving his sentence at the Cummins Unit in Gould, Arkansas.
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