Man charged in wife’s fatal stabbing

A Hamilton Township man has been charged with murder after investigators say he killed his wife and then tried to kill himself.

Timothy Clay, 46, cut Crystal Clay’s throat and then tried to fatally stab himself, an affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court said.

The couple’s 27-year-old daughter arrived at her parent’s house on the 1600 block of Spruce Drive around 5:30 p.m. Sunday and found her father standing on the front porch, court documents said.

Timothy Clay told his daughter that he had just killed his 45-year-old wife and planned to kill himself, court documents said.

Franklin County deputies arrived at the house around 5:45 p.m. and found Crystal Clay inside with a stab wound in her neck, a news release from the sheriff’s office said. Timothy Clay had an apparently selfinflicted stab wound.

Crystal Clay was pronounced dead at the scene and Timothy Clay was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. He is expected to survive his injuries.

The motive behind the attack is unclear.

Timothy Clay has a criminal history that includes two domestic violence charges.

He was charged with domestic violence in 2002 after he threw two full cans of beer at his brother, striking him once in the forehead, and then punching his sibling in the face, court records show. The charge was eventually dropped at the prosecutor’s request. Clay was again charged with domestic violence and assault after he struck one of his daughters, who was 17 at the time, with a belt in 2016, court records show. The charge was amended to criminal mischief as part of a plea agreement. He was given a suspended twoday jail sentenced and fined $203.