Staff report
Indonesian authorities have reportedly captured a former Austin Police officer suspected in the murder of Kyle Victim Services coordinator Samantha Dean two weeks after he fled to the island nation.
According to a report from the Austin American-Statesman Tuesday, Indonesian officials have captured and are indefinitely detaining VonTrey Clark on what is described as a “visa-related” issue.
Both U.S. and Indonesian authorities are working to bring Clark back to the U.S. While there is no extradition agreement between the two countries, officials from the FBI and Department of Justice have worked closely to track Clark. They have also gained the assistance from Indonesian officials.
Sources told the American-Statesman that the effort for Clark’s return to the U.S. could take “several weeks.”
However, Indonesian officials have pledged, “full cooperation and expressed a desire to expel Clark from the country.”
Clark’s attorney has said that his client traveled to Indonesia for an “undisclosed medical issue.” His attorney said he was also not involved in Dean’s death.
The news of Clark’s detainment comes roughly two weeks after the former officer was terminated by APD. Clark was fired after he withheld information during an internal investigation and was associating with known felons.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo considered Clark, who was put on paid administrative leave in February, absent without leave (AWOL) on July 23. Clark had requested an FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) but was denied. In a press conference on July 23, Acevedo said Clark refused orders to come into Internal Affairs.
Two weeks ago, Clark’s last known whereabouts were believed to be Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Acevedo said Clark had flown from Dallas to Tokyo to Jakarta on July 17.
Clark is one of four primary suspects in the Texas Rangers’ investigation into Dean’s death. Three of the suspects were linked to the case in June. Court documents from Houston and Bastrop County linked the three to the case through the use of disposable cell phones, according to earlier media reports.
The three played “various roles” including disposal of evidence. They had been in jail or had been questioned by authorities. That group includes a man identified as a “close associate” of Clark.
So far, none of the four have been charged.
The four are allegedly connected in the death of Dean, who was found murdered while seven months pregnant in February. Dean was found shot to death in the parking lot of an abandoned building in Bastrop County.
An affidavit released in June indicated Clark fathered Dean’s child, but that he did not want her to have the baby.
