Sandusky: Ex-con charged with murder of mom, kids

SANDUSKY -- Sandusky police have charged an ex-con with the murder of a young mother and her two children.

Police arrested Curtis Clinton, 41, of Sandusky. He is scheduled to be arraigned on three counts of aggravated murder at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Sandusky Municipal Court.

Clinton spent 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a woman in northwest Ohio's Wood County.

"I'm mad they (police) got to him before I did," Nick Fee, 37, the brother of murder victim Heather Jackson told WKYC. "I mean, I'm glad they did their job, so I guess I'll have to get my satisfaction some other way."

Clinton just got out of prison six months ago and had known Jackson at least 5 of those months. Police would not give any other details of their relationship but Lt. John Orzach said, "She probably let him into the house."

"The community has every right to be outraged over this. We're happy to get this resolved as quickly as possible."

Clinton will also be charged with rape in an unrelated incident since his release from prison. It was that rape which police say put Clinton on their radar screen as a possible suspect in the killing of Jackson and her children, Celina, 3, and Wayne, 18 months.

Their bodies were found Saturday evening in the house they rented on John Street in Sandusky. All had been strangled.

Sandusky Police responded to a call around 6:30 p.m. at the house when other family members had not been able to get in touch with Jackson.

Her body was found wedged between her mattress and the box spring, and the childrens' bodies were stuffed in a closet.

Clinton was arrested late Monday morning at a hospital in Bellevue where he was being examined for an unrelated problem or condition, police said, but would not elaborate.

"Our guys worked 'round the clock on this case," Orzach said, at a Monday afternoon news conference. Officers from every jurisdiction offered assistance."

Clinton pleaded guilty in 1999 in connection with the strangling death of an 18-year-old woman in Fostoria. His criminal record also includes convictions for assault, and corruption of a minor.

WKYC-TV