The wife of a decorated former Green Beret is in cuffs after he was found dismembered and dumped in a pond.
Wife of former green beret arrested
50-year-old Shana Cloud of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has been charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a death in the killing of Clinton “Clint” Bonnell, 50.
Bonnell, who had been pursuing a second career as a physician assistant student at Methodist University, was first reported missing on January 28.
That morning, he failed to show up for his classes — an unusual absence that prompted both the school and a friend to request a welfare check.
When deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office arrived at his home, they found Cloud, who claimed she hadn’t seen her husband since the previous day.
Investigators also noted that Bonnell’s car, school bag, and other personal belongings were still at the house.
Weeks later, on February 25, a 911 call came in reporting what looked like a body in a pond around about three miles from the couple’s home.
“It looks like there might be part of a body floating out in the water,” the caller told dispatchers. “I just got here about 10 minutes ago, [I was] just looking around and seen it.”
“It looks like it’s been there a while, there’s no legs or arms on it or nothing on it,” the caller added. “It’s in the middle of nowhere.”
Former green beret identified
Authorities later confirmed that the dismembered remains belonged to Bonnell.
Cloud was arrested in connection with his death two months after he was reported missing.
Though officials have not released full details of the alleged crime, investigators say that they searched the residence multiple times throughout January and February.
The case eventually expanded to include search warrants on Cloud’s vehicle, a rental property, and her digital devices.
“The data collected was analyzed and used to develop a timeline of events not only surrounding Bonnell’s disappearance, but his whereabouts prior to his disappearance,” stated a press release from the sheriff’s office.
Court documents also reveal a potential motive: Bonnell had been planning to divorce his wife and had already retained legal counsel.
A woman described as his girlfriend told detectives that Bonnell had met with an attorney on the morning of January 27 and texted her later that night, shortly after revealing his intent to pursue legal separation.
Man charged after girlfriend’s body found in pond
In a separate case out of Madison, Wisconsin, a 25-year-old man is now facing a first-degree intentional homicide charge after police say he killed his girlfriend and also attempted to dispose of her body in a pond.
James Barnes-Morris was officially charged by the Dane County District Attorney’s Office on March 25, following a lengthy investigation into the death of 24-year-old Brooke Stratton.
Stratton’s body was found on October 3, 2024, in a Madison-area pond, three days after she had last been seen.
According to WKOW, police obtained a search warrant that included troubling statements Barnes-Morris allegedly made to a friend on the night of September 30, 2024 — the last day Stratton was known to be alive.
Barnes-Morris reportedly said he “had to get rid of her,” referring to Stratton.
The same friend told authorities that the couple had a major fight days earlier at a party, and that Stratton had gone to stay with a friend out of concern for her safety.
A witness at the second location told police that Stratton was deeply fearful of the suspect.
She allegedly confided that she thought Barnes-Morris “was truly going to kill her.”
That morning, around 7 a.m., she left the safe house. Police say she was last seen walking with a man later identified as Barnes-Morris.
Later that same day, Barnes-Morris was with another friend and allegedly made further unsettling remarks, according to the search warrant: “Needed more bricks and rope,” and “the weeds made it hard.”
The friend described Barnes-Morris as having wet clothing and visible bloody scratches on his legs.
Following the discovery of Stratton’s body on October 3, police arrested Barnes-Morris the same day.
He was found hiding in the basement of a friend’s house, and was allegedly in possession of the victim’s phone and credit cards.
Barnes-Morris was charged with first-degree intentional homicide with a domestic violence enhancement. He remains in custody at Dodge Correctional Institution. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 28.
