Naman Shrestha
Melanie Clark was an integral member of the Salisbury community. So when she passed away all of a sudden in March 2018, it left a gaping hole in the community and her family’s heart. The investigation was swift, and within a matter of hours, Melanie’s loved ones were shocked to find out the identity of the perpetrator responsible for the gruesome murder. The tragic case of Melanie and the investigation that ensued are covered extensively in the episode titled ‘I May Be Cold-Blooded’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks.’ Featuring insightful interviews with the her family members, the documentary explores her life and the gruesome killing in detail.
Melanie Clark Was Found Dead by Her Family After She Didn’t Show up at Church
On October 16, 1955, Melanie Anita Clark arrived in the loving arms of Willie Mae Clark and Delois Lopp in Davidson County, North Carolina. Her innate radiance and infectious laughter filled the air in the Clark household with joy and warmth. She was raised with immense love and support by her parents in the caring company of her brothers, Zenobia and John, and sisters, Williette Jones, La’Tonya Lopp, and Angie Clark. From an early age, Melanie learnt the importance of core life values such as compassion, resilience, and hard work. The North Davidson High School graduate (1973) was an ambitious individual and worked hard towards achieving her life goals. While not much is known about her partner, we know Melanie was a doting mother to a beautiful daughter, Kimberly Clark. Over the years, she built a great life for herself.
Melanie’s world mostly revolved around her daughter and two grandchildren. On the professional front, she had gained immense experience working at Daimler-Chrysler for over two decades. She was a devout Christian who enjoyed spending her time with like-minded religious individuals at Progressive Outreach Ministries in Salisbury. Melanie was a regular at the organization and exercised several duties, remaining focused on spreading love and God’s word. She was adored by many in the community for her helpful, kindhearted, encouraging and loving demeanor. She also loved sports cars, and reportedly owned a red Corvette and a Hyundai Genesis. By the time 2018 rolled around, she was leading a fulfilling life in Salisbury in Rowan County. The longtime Freightliner employee was looking forward to her retirement, particularly to pursue her passion for sewing and designing jewelry.
Unfortunately, everything changed in the month of March. Melanie hardly ever skipped going to church, so when she didn’t turn up on Sunday, March 25, 2018, the members got worried. When they reached out to her family members, the latter rushed to her residence at 345 Dulin Avenue off Mount Hope Church Road, only to find the back door unlocked. Their worst nightmares came true when they found the 62-year-old unresponsive on the couch. Responding to a medical call in relation to a cardiac arrest, the authorities pulled in around 11:15 pm and proceeded to announce the grandmother dead. While cardiac arrest was considered the cause of her death initially, it was soon determined that Melanie died of gunshot wounds to her head. The authorities further revealed that there was no indication of a break-in or a physical confrontation. Thus, an investigation into her murder was immediately launched.
A Family Member Was Responsible For the Murder of Melanie Clark
During the investigation, the detectives interviewed several family members and members of the community, after which they were led to one of her grandchildren, Joshua Clark. The day after the murder, they conducted a search of his house at 225 Happy Lake Road in Rockwell, North Carolina, where Joshua lived with several other people, including Cory Wayne Harrington and Creaig Wilson Helms Jr. Inside the property, they found a 9mm handgun and its ammunition. During the search, the authorities also confiscated other potential evidence, including a ball cap, a bandana, and a bag that contained a jacket.
When Joshua was questioned about his grandmother’s murder, he denied any involvement in the crime. However, due to enough evidence against him, he was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the killing of Melanie Clark on March 27, 2018. A few days later, Joshua decided to come clean and admitted to his involvement in the brutal murder of his own grandmother.
He confessed that he shot Melanie multiple times with the 9mm gun he had obtained from a friend, before stealing her purse and a Wells Fargo ATM card. After committing the crime, he claimed that he drove to multiple ATMs in order to withdraw money from her card, accompanied by a couple of his friends — Creaig Wilson Helms Jr. and Cory Wayne Harrington. Thus, on April 4, 2018, Creaig was arrested. The following day, Cory attempted to run away from the officers but was caught and taken into custody. Both of them were charged with felony identity theft.
Joshua Clark is Currently Incarcerated at a North Carolina Prison Facility
A few years later, on January 13, 2021, Joshua Clark pleaded guilty to the charges of second-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a weapon by a prisoner, which was a charge unrelated to the murder. Following his guilty plea, the judge sentenced him to a minimum of 360 months to a maximum of 444 months (30-37 years) in prison for the second-degree murder charge. For the rest of the charges, he received a minimum of 96 months to a maximum of 128 months in prison. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. As of today, 33-year-old Joshua Clark is serving his sentence at Warren Correctional Institute in Manson, North Carolina, with his projected release date scheduled for November 2062.
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