The Brittany Eldridge murder remains officially unsolved. Eldridge, a 25-year-old woman who was eight and a half months pregnant, was beaten, stabbed in the neck, and strangled inside her Knoxville, Tennessee, apartment on December 13, 2011. Her estranged ex-boyfriend Norman Eugene Clark, the father of her unborn son, was the sole suspect and was tried twice for first-degree murder and felony murder. Both trials ended in hung juries, and in January 2018 the Knox County District Attorney dropped the charges.
What Happened to Brittany Eldridge
Eldridge was found dead on the floor of her bedroom in the Cross Creek apartments off Western Avenue in northwest Knoxville. Her mother, Robin Owens, discovered her naked, beaten, stabbed, and strangled.1WVLT. Norman Clark Mistrial: Jury Deadlocked on Brittany Eldridge Murder Case She was two weeks from her due date and had already named her son Ezekiel, or “Zeke.”2New York Daily News. Tennessee Man Arrested in Murder of Pregnant Woman and Unborn Child Because the fetus was viable outside the womb, his death later supported a separate felony murder count.
The apartment appeared to have been ransacked. Drawers were pulled open, two televisions had been lifted off their stands and set on the floor, and the contents of Eldridge’s purse were scattered. But nothing valuable was missing. A laptop, jewelry, and a debit card with its PIN attached had all been left behind, and there was no sign of forced entry.3Knoxville News Sentinel. Slain Pregnant Woman’s Mom Testifies Slaying Suspect’s Attitude Totally Changed Former Knoxville Police Department crime scene investigator Tiffini Hamlin testified that the scene appeared staged.
Why Norman Clark Became the Suspect
Clark, Eldridge’s estranged ex-boyfriend, was quickly identified as the only suspect, but Knoxville police spent nearly three years without what one report described as “a shred of direct evidence” against him.4Knoxville News Sentinel. State to Retry Knoxville Man in Slaying of Pregnant Girlfriend, Unborn Son The eventual case was circumstantial, built on cell phone records, witness accounts, and a claimed pattern of deception.
FBI Agent Kevin R. Horan testified that Clark’s phone pinged cell towers within a mile of Eldridge’s apartment at 8:28 p.m., 8:29 p.m., and 9:05 p.m. on the night she was killed. The phone was turned off at 9:06 p.m.5Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrial in Killing of Brittany Eldridge Goes to Jury Deliberations Between roughly 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., three text messages were sent from Eldridge’s phone to Clark’s. Prosecutors argued Clark sent those texts himself to make it look like Eldridge was still alive.
Assistant District Attorney General Leslie Nassios told jurors that Clark was the only person with a motive. The impending birth threatened to expose a “web of lies” he had told to multiple girlfriends who did not know about each other. Nassios also pointed to Clark’s financial problems and his fear that the mother of his existing daughter would find out about the new child and seek additional child support.6Knoxville News Sentinel. Man Facing 2nd Trial in Death of Pregnant Girlfriend Seeks Court-Appointed Lawyer Robin Owens told investigators that Clark had been “kind until he found out about Eldridge’s pregnancy,” after which his demeanor changed.1WVLT. Norman Clark Mistrial: Jury Deadlocked on Brittany Eldridge Murder Case
The Evidence Problem
DNA testing of more than 20 samples collected at the scene did not incriminate Clark. In some cases the results excluded him. DNA from an unidentified man was recovered from a negligee found on top of Eldridge’s body. That absence of a forensic link became the central weakness in the state’s case and the central argument for the defense.
At the second trial, prosecutors introduced one new physical detail: Clark’s fingerprints were found on Eldridge’s television screen in a spot consistent with the TV having been moved to the floor during the staging of the fake burglary. Nassios also argued Clark had lied about a phone call he claimed to have made to Eldridge that night, pointing to phone records showing the call never occurred.7WATE. Jury Deliberates in Retrial of Knoxville Man Accused of Killing Pregnant Girlfriend
Clark’s Account and Alibi
Questioned by Knoxville detectives Tim Thornton and Lance Halseath, Clark admitted being unfaithful in his relationships and said he had been “unhappy” about the pregnancy and intended to request a paternity test. He denied killing Eldridge. “You’re telling me because I tell females different things … I’m a murderer?” he told investigators.8Knoxville News Sentinel. Suspect in Slaying of Pregnant Woman Says He’s a Player, Not a Killer
Clark said he had spent the evening at the home of another woman, Leann Hawn. Hawn told investigators she fell asleep around 9:30 p.m. and woke around 10:30 p.m. to see Clark walking into her room. Clark said he had actually arrived earlier and had been watching an NFL game in the living room while she slept, recalling the score as “13 to six.” Prosecutors focused on the gap between 9:06 p.m., when Clark’s phone went dark near Eldridge’s apartment, and 10:30 p.m., when Hawn confirmed seeing him, arguing that was enough time to kill Eldridge, stage the scene, and drive to Hawn’s. The defense argued the window was far too narrow.8Knoxville News Sentinel. Suspect in Slaying of Pregnant Woman Says He’s a Player, Not a Killer
Arrest and the First Trial
Clark was arrested on May 14, 2014, on a sealed indictment charging him with first-degree murder in Eldridge’s death and felony murder in the death of the unborn child.9Chattanooga Times Free Press. Father of Unborn Son Charged in Knoxville Woman’s Death His bond was set at $1 million, and he spent 15 months in jail before his first trial.10FundRazr. Norman Clark Is Still Innocent. Facts Don’t Lie
The trial began on August 10, 2015, with Nassios prosecuting and attorney Gregory P. Isaacs leading the defense. Isaacs argued the killings were a burglary gone wrong and hammered at the absence of forensic evidence tying Clark to the scene. On August 20, 2015, the judge declared a mistrial. Jurors had deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of acquittal.1WVLT. Norman Clark Mistrial: Jury Deadlocked on Brittany Eldridge Murder Case
The Second Trial and Its Reversed Split
The retrial took place the week of September 18, 2017, with attorney Kit Rodgers now leading Clark’s defense. Nassios described Clark as an “emotional vampire” living a “parasitic lifestyle” who killed Eldridge because the baby threatened his finances and his ability to keep multiple relationships secret.7WATE. Jury Deliberates in Retrial of Knoxville Man Accused of Killing Pregnant Girlfriend The defense again pressed the lack of DNA and argued police had “zeroed in on Clark as a suspect and never considered the possibility of a burglary gone bad.”3Knoxville News Sentinel. Slain Pregnant Woman’s Mom Testifies Slaying Suspect’s Attitude Totally Changed
After more than 17 hours of deliberation, jurors reported themselves hopelessly deadlocked. Judge Steve Sword declared a mistrial on September 22, 2017. Defense sources reported that at least 10 of the 12 jurors had voted this time to convict, a sharp reversal from the first jury’s lean toward acquittal.11WATE. Knox County DA Ending Prosecution of Man Accused of Killing Brittany Eldridge
Why the Charges Were Dropped
On January 25, 2018, Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen announced her office would not seek a third trial and filed a nolle prosequi. “As difficult as this decision is I am confident that it is the appropriate one at this time,” Allen said.12Knoxville News Sentinel. DA Won’t Seek Third Trial in Slaying of Pregnant Woman, Unborn Son The dismissal does not bar the state from refiling charges if new evidence emerges.
Clark had been free on bond throughout the second trial and its aftermath. Rodgers said he was “relieved for Norman and relieved for everyone who was involved. This was a long and hard case for everyone. I’m glad he’s able to get on with his life.”11WATE. Knox County DA Ending Prosecution of Man Accused of Killing Brittany Eldridge
Where the Case Stands
Clark has continued to maintain his innocence. Family friend Cheryle Johnston, speaking after the second mistrial, told reporters: “She was a sweet girl and she was looking forward to having that baby. She deserved much better. It’s just cruel what happened to her.”11WATE. Knox County DA Ending Prosecution of Man Accused of Killing Brittany Eldridge Unless the Knoxville Police Department develops new evidence, the deaths of Brittany Eldridge and her unborn son remain unsolved.