CRAIGHEAD COUNTY, Ark. — Deputy attorneys prosecuted 37-year-old Marco Clark for the 2019 murder of Melinda Coburn, 37, in Craighead County, according to a press release.
Potential jurors had been summoned and appeared, but before jury selection started, Clark surrendered to law enforcement, ultimately confessed and pleaded guilty to capital murder.
Circuit Judge Dan Ritchey gave Clark to a sentence to life in prison.
According to the report, Clark and Coburn had been married prior to the murder, but in early August 2019, they separated.
Reports say after the split, Clark later lured Coburn back to the family home where he shot and killed her.
“A plea of guilty to capital murder is a rare thing," Prosecuting Attorney Keith L. Chrestman said. "It’s a product of Knight and Lilly’s [deputy prosecuting attorneys] hard work and experience. Their efforts make our community safer. It’s why I asked them to come to Craighead County. And I’m thankful for their willingness to serve.”