Janesville Police identify murder victim, investigating 28-year-old boyfriend
JANESVILLE -- Police identified the woman they believe 28-year-old Clayton Courtney killed before going on a alcohol and cocaine-fueled rampage in Janesville Sunday night.
\"What I can tell you is he said he killed people and we've got a dead young woman in this community,\" Janesville Police Chief David Moore said.
Police found 21-year-old Britney Cross' body early monday Morning, several hours after arresting Courtney. They say Courtney stabbed his friend and destroyed much of his house Sunday night, then claimed he killed three people.
\"The autopsy results of the victim show the cause of death to be blunt impact head injury,\" Moore said.
Investigators believe Courtney and Cross were dating and spent Sunday evening together driving in a blue pickup truck near Traxler park, the Memorial Drive bridge and a business on Main Street where her body was found.
\"Mr. Courtney is the lone suspect in the Britney Cross homicide,\" Moore said. \"Since Mr. Courtney is being held on a previous attempted homicide arrest, the police department is afforded the time to continue this investigation.\"
Tuesday afternoon, stabbing victim Mike Clark talked to CBS-58 News. \"[Courtney] was like, 'We're going to stay in here. We're going to die in here,'\" Clark recalled.
Clark says Courtney stabbed him nearly ten times that night while his pregnant girlfriend and kids were sleeping.
\"He stabbed me a bunch of times in the arm and he hit one of my arteries,\" Clark said. \"That's why I lost so much blood and I was near death.\"
Clark has been best friends with Courtney for 15 years. He says he met Cross before and that Courtney often abused her.
\"I just feel so bad for her and her family,\" Clark said. \"I just want to make sure he does get convicted for what he did because I know he did it.\"
Courtney appeared in Rock County Court Tuesday afternoon on the attempted homicide charge for stabbing Clark. He's in custody on a $100,000 cash bond.