Former Austin Police Officer Sentenced In 2015 Death Of Girlfriend And Unborn Child

Five years after her death, officials have closed the book in the murder of Samantha Dean and her unborn child.

Former Austin police officer Vontrey Clark was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty in the murder of his girlfriend, Dean (29), and their unborn child in 2015.

According to KVUE, Clark waived his right to a trial by jury and signed a document stating he confessed to the crime; the document states Dean was killed by Freddie Lee Smith, 33.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Smith was arrested in September in Harris County on a Capital Murder Charge in relation to the case; Smith is one of two individuals accused of participating in a murder-for-hire scheme.

In 2016, Kevin Leo Watson was arrested and indicted for Capital Murder. 

Dean’s body was found behind a vacant shopping center development in Bastrop in February of 2015. She was found beside her vehicle with a door open.

Officials later reported the scene may have been staged.

Dean was an employee of the Kyle Police Department’s Victims Services Unit and lived in South Austin around the time of her death.

In September of 2015, federal officials had Clark extradited from Bali and arrested him. He was booked into Bastrop County Jail.

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• UPDATED: Funeral Arrangements For Samantha Dean Were Finalized This Afternoon
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• Police Warrant: “Crime Scene In Samantha Dean Killing Might Have Been Staged”
• Hays Co. Commissioners Recognizes Crime Victims’ Rights And Samantha Dean