Killing of Mathew Clark in North Carolina in 1941

Incident

Case summary

Mathew Clark (1904-1941), a farmer, was killed by Richard Sulik in Lewiston, Bertie County, North Carolina. Sulik was the watchman and game warden for a gun club. Allegedly, Sulik found Clark poaching on the property of the gun club, ordered Clark to stop, and then fatally shot Clark, claiming self-defense. Sulik was first cleared by the coroner. However, after private investigations financed by members of Clark’s family, Sulik was tried for second-degree murder. Trial jury convicted of manslaughter. Sulik was granted parole less than two months into his sentence.

Victim(s):

Mathew Clark


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Richard Sulick

Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1941-10-08
Location: Lewiston Woodville, Bertie County, North Carolina
Location type: private space - other
Allegation against victim: trespassing

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: yes
Finding of no legal responsibility: yes

Criminal process
Arrest: yes
Charge/indictment/information: yes
Grand jury: yes
Trial: yes
Conviction: yes
Sentence: unknown, but lighter than the prosecution had hoped


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates - closed
news articles - closed
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