BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Stephen Clare, who was charged in the death of his 11-month-old daughter, pleaded guilty to capital murder and two other charges in connection with the 2023 attack.
Clare pleaded guilty to the following charges on Friday:
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- Capital murder of a child under 10 years old
- Attempted capital murder of a child under 10 years old
- Aggravated assault with a weapon
He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Clare shot his ex-wife, Mariah Gardner, and attacked his daughters, Rosalie and Willow Gardner, on April 10, 2023.
Willow Gardner, an 11-month-old, did not survive her injuries from a stabbing.
Clare — who wore a red jumpsuit with his eyes open and head bowed — was called to appear before presiding Judge Joel Perez of Bexar County’s 437th Criminal District Court at 9:55 a.m. Friday.
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If the case had gone to trial, he would have faced the death penalty.
Background
San Antonio police said Clare got into an argument with Mariah Gardner before he shot her and attacked her children at a home in the 500 block of Robinhood Place.
Authorities said Clare was taken into custody a short time later at another home in the 1500 block of Haskin Drive, located approximately a mile and a half from the Robinhood Place home.
During a Feb. 6 hearing, San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Christopher Lloyd provided testimony on the department’s investigation following the attack.
Lloyd said multiple warrants were issued to obtain pieces of evidence, which included the gun used by Clare to allegedly shoot Mariah Gardner.
The gun was not found at the crime scene. However, the prosecution previously revealed that the gun has since been recovered after attempts from law enforcement to locate it.
Attorneys representing Clare filed several motions to suppress evidence, which includes a search warrant issued at his residence and a statement he provided to a Child Protective Services investigator at the Bexar County jail.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
More recent coverage of the Stephen Clare case on KSAT: