Chanin was allegedly murdered in her home by her estranged husband, Clay Starbuck, who owed her a lot of money in child support. He later tried to pose as Chanin to draw the suspicion away from himself, but was ultimately caught.
The synopsis for the November 15 episode of Dateline: Secrets uncovered read as:
Given the intriguing nature of the case which saw the dead body left in a striking s*xual position, it is not surprising that this case is filled with shocking details. Ahead of the episode’s rerun this week, here are five important details about Chanin Starbuck’s murder.
Five quick facts about Chanin Starbuck’s murder
1) Clay Starbuck allegedly ‘posed’ as Chanin to avoid suspicion after committing the crime
One of Clay Starbuck’s primary motives was to derail the investigation and drive it towards Chanin’s various love interests from online dating sites. After the murder, he allegedly used her phone posing as his former wife to erase suspicions of him being involved by faking the time of her death.
He also allegedly led the investigation purposely in the direction of her lovers.
2) Chanin Starbuck’s manner of death was not ordinary
Barring the fact that no murder is an ordinary way to die, Chanin’s death signified that the perpetrator had a lot of hatred for her and her lifestyle. The mother-of-five was found dead on her bed. According to FindLaw, the manner of her death was as follows:
3) Crucial DNA evidence was the key to prosecuting Clay Starbuck
It was ultimately a piece of DNA evidence that bought suspicion on Clay. After considering other suspects from Chanin’s dating history, the police uncovered DNA that would belong to either Clay or any of his adult children. With a tight alibi for the other two, suspicion was soon bought on Clay.
4) The five children of Clay and Chanin Starbuck still believe their father is innocent
Despite the decision from the jury and the judge, the Starbuck children still stand by their father, saying their father is not capable of the crime. The former couple’s son Blake Starbuck said:
5) Clay Starbuck lost an appeal against his conviction in 2011
After being sentenced to life with an additional 12 months in prison, Clay tried to appeal his conviction in 2015. It was rejected.
He remains at the Airway Heights Corrections Center in Spokane County.
Catch the intriguing episode of Chanin Starbuck’s murder on the November 15, 2022 episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered.
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