Man Shoots Himself After Being Wanted In Slaying Girlfriend

PARKSLEY — The suspect in a Hampton Roads-area homicide fatally shot himself Friday at a traffic stop on U.S. Route 13 here.

Clarence Justin Clayton, 29, of Nelsonia, was pronounced dead at the scene, Accomack County Sheriff Larry Giddens said.

Authorities had been searching for Clayton, who was driving a red 2006 Mercedes-Benz, since the Thursday night shooting of his former girlfriend in the city of Portsmouth.

The woman, Mary Jane C. Abad, 22, of Virginia Beach, had two young children and was three months pregnant, according to reports. She had been shot several times.

Giddens said Clayton was believed to be armed and dangerous and faced a charge of first-degree murder and a weapons charge. He also was charged with stealing the vehicle.

The vehicle was observed at 9:20 a.m. Friday on Nelsonia Road. Accomack deputies initiated a traffic stop on Lankford Highway.

Before they could converge on the vehicle, Clayton shot himself, Giddens said.

The incident took place near the highway’s intersection with Whites Neck Road.

Investigators from the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and Detectives from the Portsmouth Police Department are currently processing the 2006 red Mercedes-Benz and surrounding area.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted in this case by the Virginia Department of Transportation and Parksley Police Department.

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Citizens Police Academy for Accomack

Accomack County Sheriff Larry J. Giddens, Sr. announced today that the Sheriff's Department will be conducting its 12th Citizens Police Academy.

Sheriff Giddens stated that the Citizens Police Academy will consist of 9 two hour classes involving classroom and practical instruction by certified instructors from the Accomack County Sheriffs Department.

The instruction will consist of an overall view of the operation of the Sheriff's Department including patrol criminal, investigations, courtroom familiarization, jail and communication. Students will receive classroom instruction of laws of arrest, patrol with uniform Deputies, work through a mock crime scene with investigators and crime scene technicians. Citizens will visit the Departments firing range with the opportunity to fire departmental issued specialized weapons. This will be with the supervision of a certified fire arm instructor. Citizens will also witness a demonstration of the Departments Swat Team and K-9 Unit.

Sheriff Giddens stated Academy Classes will be held at the Eastern Shore Community College on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM beginning March 17 and concluding May 12. Anyone interested in applying for the Academy is asked to contact Major Todd Godwin at 787-1131 or 824-5666 for more information. The class will be limited to 20 students.



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