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Jury sentences Kountze man to life in prison after pleading guilty to 2022 murder of 64-year-old man

Clayton Carter was sentenced by a jury for the 2022 murder of Roy Dean Willman.

KOUNTZE, Texas — A jury has sentence 36-year-old Clayton Carter, of Kountze, after he pled guilty to killing a 64-year-old man and leaving his body in a wooded area in 2022.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video is from a May 6, 2024 broadcast)

After about 40 minutes of deliberation, a jury of 12 people sentenced Carter to life in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The family of Roy Dean Willman reported him missing on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.  Willman had been living in a RV Park located at 2525 North US Highway 69 near Kountze, according to a Hardin County Sheriff’s Office release.

Willman’s family also reported that his truck and camper were missing from the park.

With the help of Silsbee Police, investigators found the truck and camper on Wednesday afternoon. Carter was driving them, according to the release.

Silsbee Police took Carter into custody on charges not related to Willman's case, however, investigators determined him to be a person of interest in the case.

During an interview, Carter admitted to murdering Willman and leaving his body in a wooded area off Cravens Camp Road, north of Silsbee, according to the release. Carter led investigators to the area where Willman’s body was located.

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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information. 

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