Suvechha Sarkar
Stephanie Diane McClurg dreamed of a bright future with her husband and children beside her. However, everything changed in May 2014 when she suddenly passed away in her home. What initially seemed to be an accidental death soon unraveled a story that highlighted the consequences of betrayal. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Til Death Do Us Part: Love Sick’ focuses on this case and how the investigation uncovered her closest person to be the killer. It also features emotional interviews from her loved ones and the officials who worked tirelessly to help serve justice.
Stephanie McClurg’s Life Was Deeply Rooted in Her Family
Born on January 9, 1982, in Millington, Tennessee, Stephanie Diane Frazier brought immense joy to the lives of John Leon and Kandice Diane Frazier. She often spent her time playing with her sister, Samantha Briggs. A few years later, her parents got divorced, and John married Candace Frazier. Stephanie lived with her mother and sister in Ozark, Missouri, and attended high school there until her senior year. Her family then moved to Springfield, where she enrolled in Central High School. After graduating, she became a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and a Medication Technician. In her career, Stephanie worked diligently as a CNA at Ravenwood Nursing Home and St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Springfield. She crossed paths with Buddy Driskell around that time, and they hit it off.
Soon after, Stephanie and Buddy tied the knot and welcomed their son Cody and daughter Ashley into the world over the years. According to Samantha, her marriage eventually grew strained, leading her to part ways with Buddy in the fall of 2011. During that time, she was introduced to Jason Levi McClurg, who had sons, Jacob and Corban, and daughters Anastasia and Sierra from his previous marriage. They quickly got close, and by 2012, Stephanie had moved in with him and his children to Winona. In July 2012, she and Jason welcomed their son, Gabriel McClurg, into the world. Following that, Stephanie began to work at Ozarks Medical Center.
Stephanie McClurg Passed Away in Her Home in Missouri
Samantha said that when Stephanie got pregnant with her daughter, Zoey Piper, she started having seizures. Zoey was born prematurely and sadly passed away on April 27, 2013. However, she found happiness again as she and Jason got married on October 27, 2013, and in early 2014, she gave birth to their son, Samuel. Since Samuel had a premature birth, he was kept in a hospital in Springfield. Stephanie reportedly stayed at her mother’s house to stay near and care for him. By May, he was out of the hospital. So, Jason went to Springfield with his eldest son to bring Stephanie and Samuel back home to Winona on May 3, 2014. Samantha stated that on that day, Stephanie and Jason went out to eat, but she suddenly went “limp.”
To ensure she was okay, Kandice convinced them to stay back for one more day. Ultimately, when the McClurgs returned home on May 4, Jason reportedly went to his parents’ place to drop off the kids. In the evening, Jason frantically called Kandice and then 911 and claimed that he returned home to find Stephanie dead. When officers finally arrived, they found her lying on the living room floor with an open bottle of prescription pills next to her. Her cellphone was under a backpack near her remains. The autopsy determined her cause of death to be heart failure, but initially, they weren’t able to determine the reason behind it. Later, a toxicology report revealed that the heart failure was caused by an overdose of the drug, Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant.
Internet Searches and Lab Test Results Helped Officials to Arrest the Killer
Investigators first questioned Jason at the scene, who admitted that he and Stephanie had a rocky relationship. He claimed that he went to drop off their children at his parents’ home, and when he returned, he allegedly found she had passed away. He alleged that Stephanie had been dead for a long time before he found her. However, that statement was contradicted when a detective received a call from her mother, Kandice. She informed him that she spoke with Stephanie over the phone 30 minutes before the incident. It was confirmed from Stephanie’s call records. The following morning, one of her coworkers contacted the authorities to inform them that Jason had called the hospital to inquire about his wife’s insurance policy. Official reports state that Kandice arrived in Winona later that day.
Kandice reportedly told the detectives that on May 3, when Jason went to pick up Stephanie in Springfield, he gave her a bottle of Kool-Aid, mentioning that their son had made it. She stated that he insisted that Stephanie drink it entirely, even if it tasted bad. Kandice reportedly continued that after her daughter finished drinking it, Jason washed the bottle and threw it in the trash. Since Kandice found it suspicious, she found the bottle and submitted it to the police, which was promptly sent to the lab. His sister, Beth, also came into the station and reportedly revealed that Jason had a lover. When the lover was questioned, she reluctantly claimed that on the morning of May 3, Jason told her he had mixed up a drink of Kool-Aid with approximately 50 pills in it, to kill Stephanie.
A breakthrough came when the lab result of the bottle’s residue determined it to be Cyclobenzaprine. It was the overdose of the same drug that killed Stephanie. A forensic analysis of Jason’s mobile uncovered his internet searches like “How to make murder look like an accident” and “How to make murder look like a suicide,” right after he tried to kill Stephanie. When he was interrogated, he alleged that his wife had suicidal tendencies. Another search warrant was executed at his trailer, which was messy. Officials discovered empty packets of powdered mix and prescription drugs from there. Therefore, 48 hours after Stephanie’s death, Jason was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Jason McClurg Has Been Brought to Justice and is Incarcerated Today
Jason was held at the Shannon County Jail awaiting prosecution after his arrest. However, on the night of July 4, 2014, he escaped when the staff had reportedly taken inmates outside to watch the fireworks. He was then located and arrested at a camper trailer near Winona on July 6, 2014. Jason’s jury trial began in July 2016, where the prosecution presented the toxicology report, lab results of the bottle, and his internet searches before the court. They reportedly suggested premeditation and intent by pointing out how he had allegedly told his mistress that he had planned to poison Stephanie by spiking her drink. On the other hand, the defense alleged that Stephanie had past mental health issues.
Moreover, the defense claimed that there was insufficient evidence. They insisted that there were not enough pills in the bottle to produce lethal levels. Ultimately, on July 28, 2016, the jury found Jason guilty of first-degree murder and escape from confinement. In September 2016, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the murder and 3 years in prison for the escape conviction, to be served consecutively. Jason appealed his conviction, but on March 26, 2018, the Appellate Court upheld his judgment. On May 4, 2021, he filed a petition in federal court, but as of July 28, 2023, he had not been granted habeas relief. As of writing, he is serving his time at Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Missouri.
Read More: Sabrina Vaughn and Bryia Runiewicz Murder: Where is Bass Webb Now?
