Former Dallas Cowboys player stabs wife in throat, leaves her dead at hotel after kidnapping son: Cops

A former Dallas Cowboys football player is behind bars on suspicion of murdering his wife after authorities found her lifeless body inside a Utah hotel room on Thursday. The arrest comes just a few weeks after the suspect allegedly kidnapped a son he had with a woman from a previous relationship.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Keri “KC” McClanahan, 28, wife of former NFL football player, Anthony Darnel McClanahan, 46, was found dead on early Thursday morning in a Park Regency hotel room at 1710 Prospector Avenue in Park City. According to authorities, Keri was found with several knife cuts to her throat.

The couple married in January, but according to the victim’s sister, Heather Gauf, Keri fled from McClanahan on a few occasions during the short period of their marriage. Keri ultimately returned to her husband to their home in Arizona after fleeing to her family’s home in Washington a few months back. Most recently, Keri “sought refuse” in Utah, but McClanahan allegedly tracked her down.

A hotel worker contacted police after hearing a “ruckus” inside the room. At the same time, authorities said McClanahan himself flagged down police, according to Fox 13. At around 1:30 a.m., McClanahan waved down a Park City sergeant patrolling the area close to the hotel. Authorities arrested McClanahan on suspicion of homicide, but hasn’t yet been officially charged with his wife’s murder.

On October 3, Donna May, the mother of McClanahan’s 8-year-old son, called police and reported that he never brought their son home after picking him up from school in Maricopa County, Arizona. The following day, May found McClanahan and her son in Las Vegas. She asked authorities for help in getting her son back, but McClanahan reportedly refused to release the boy.

On Oct. 5, May obtained an Emergency Court Order and within a few days, emailed it to McClanahan, demanding her son back. Reportedly, McClanahan still refused. On Oct. 12, authorities located the suspect and the little boy in Salt Lake. Unified Police Department and Phoenix Police Department arrested the former football player and returned the boy to May.

McClanahan posted bond around a week later. On Nov. 2, Keri was found dead. McClanahan is claiming innocence, although it’s still unclear what he told the officer when he flagged him down.

On Friday, the The Utah Attorney General’s office requested that McClanahan be held without bail, as he “now poses a flight risk due, as he has no ties to the State of Utah, has criminal charges pending in Arizona and Utah involving Domestic Violence, and has demonstrated a recent willingness to be a fugitive from justice,” according to court documents.

Posted by Anthony McClanahan on Saturday, September 9, 2017

 

“She was such an amazing mother and such a beautiful humanitarian,” Gauf told Salt Lake Tribune, referring to her sister.

McClanahan currently faces charges of first-degree kidnapping. Charges of murder could be added once the investigation into Keri’s death is complete.

Keri McClanahan is survived by a 9-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son from a previous relationship.

Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

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