Last murders in Chase County were in 1978

    If the murder charges filed against two people last week in Chase County seem unusual, they are.
    In fact, it’s been more than a generation since the last time someone was charged with murder in Chase County.
    That person was Alfred Tracy Clermont, 32, Imperial, who was convicted in a bench trial of second degree murder in 1978.
    According to newspaper files from the time, then-County Attorney Guy Curtis said on July 22, 1978, Clermont was arrested after two-year-old John
Rudolph Reyna, his wife’s son, was found dead on the floor of the couple’s home in Vinta’s Trailer Court.
    Court documents said that about 3 p.m. on the day of the boy’s death, Clermont, who had not worked for a week, was watching his two stepchildren while their mother was at work.
    After taking his wife to work, Clermont returned home with the children and spanked the boy for wetting his pants. Clermont took him to the bathroom and sat him on the toilet and the boy began to cry. The documents said Clermont slapped him again, causing him to fall from the toilet and strike his head on the bathtub, knocking him out. Clermont revived him by splashing water on his face.

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