5 chilling details about Chanin Starbuck's murder
The November 15 episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered featured the brutal 2011 murder of Chanin Starbuck, which shook the otherwise peaceful Deer Park in Washington. The brutal manner of her murder was enough to make this case sensational. This episode originally aired on August 21, 2020, and is titled A Cold December Morning.
Chanin was allegedly murdered in her home by her estranged husband, Clay Starbuck, who owed her a lot of money in child support. He later tried to pose as Chanin to draw the suspicion away from himself, but was ultimately caught.
The synopsis for the November 15 episode of Dateline: Secrets uncovered read as:
"Devoted to her faith and her five children, Chanin Starbuck was recently divorced and starting life over. After she was brutally murdered, the investigation revealed secrets. The case divided a family. Could a jury unite on the truth?"Given the intriguing nature of the case which saw the dead body left in a striking s*xual position, it is not surprising that this case is filled with shocking details. Ahead of the episode's rerun this week, here are five important details about Chanin Starbuck's murder.
Five quick facts about Chanin Starbuck's murder
1) Clay Starbuck allegedly 'posed' as Chanin to avoid suspicion after committing the crime
One of Clay Starbuck's primary motives was to derail the investigation and drive it towards Chanin's various love interests from online dating sites. After the murder, he allegedly used her phone posing as his former wife to erase suspicions of him being involved by faking the time of her death.
He also allegedly led the investigation purposely in the direction of her lovers.
2) Chanin Starbuck's manner of death was not ordinary
Barring the fact that no murder is an ordinary way to die, Chanin's death signified that the perpetrator had a lot of hatred for her and her lifestyle. The mother-of-five was found dead on her bed. According to FindLaw, the manner of her death was as follows:
"The body was naked, bruised, and battered. Only a mattress pad was on the bed. The blankets were somewhat folded on the floor, but the bed sheets were not in the room. The body was “posed” with a dildo placed in the v****a, her hands were on a massager placed on her pubic area, and her cell phone was on the nightstand next to the bed. A gun safe near the bed was open, displaying s****l devices on the shelves."3) Crucial DNA evidence was the key to prosecuting Clay Starbuck
It was ultimately a piece of DNA evidence that bought suspicion on Clay. After considering other suspects from Chanin's dating history, the police uncovered DNA that would belong to either Clay or any of his adult children. With a tight alibi for the other two, suspicion was soon bought on Clay.
4) The five children of Clay and Chanin Starbuck still believe their father is innocent
Despite the decision from the jury and the judge, the Starbuck children still stand by their father, saying their father is not capable of the crime. The former couple's son Blake Starbuck said:
"Things were twisted...We were there. We lived with my mom, we lived with my dad. We knew what kind of people they were."5) Clay Starbuck lost an appeal against his conviction in 2011
After being sentenced to life with an additional 12 months in prison, Clay tried to appeal his conviction in 2015. It was rejected.
He remains at the Airway Heights Corrections Center in Spokane County.
Catch the intriguing episode of Chanin Starbuck's murder on the November 15, 2022 episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered.
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