ABILENE, TX-- According documents, Lin Rushing's former son-in-law is suspected by Abilene Police of murdering the elderly woman in Abilene, KTXS reports.
Gary Shane Clinton is currently in the Taylor County Jail on unrelated charges and has not been officially charged in Rushing's murder on Aug. 31.
Court documents say police believe Clinton cut Rushing's throat, according to KTXS' report.
Larry Rushing, Lin's husband, found her body with a "laceration to her neck and defensive wounds to her right hand and forearm" around 4:50 p.m. on that day. The suspected murder weapon was next to her body.
Police were told that someone called the Rushings early that morning and left a "weird message," according to Larry Rushing. Rushing said the man sounded drunk or high and could not understand the message. The only part he could definitively understand was "don't take this personal" at the end of the message.
Investigation revealed Rushing's daughter, Stacey Magovern, was previously married to Clinton until divorcing in 1994.
According to Magovern, Clinton was abusive to her and involved with drugs. She "suspected (Clinton) of breaking into her house and breaking pictures" after the divorce, according to the report. It is also believed Clinton took items from the Rushing's home.
Clinton was seen burning clothes outside of his apartment approximately two hours before the murder. Police found "burnt items, broken glass, holes in the walls, and forks and hangers stabbed into the walls" when they entered into his apartment.
Back in May, Clinton was committed to a mental institution for "making claims of killing himself and killing everyone." There was no word on when he was released.
Clinton was contacted by police hours after Lin's body was discovered. He was found barefoot in the front yard of a home on Piccadilly Street near Dyess Elementary, KTXS said. Police said he "appeared disoriented" with no explanation why he was at the home. He was later allowed to leave.
Clinton was asked by police to come to the Taylor County Law Enforcement Center on Sept. 4, but refused.
Police say they were able to link Clinton to the odd phone call and "don't take this personal" voicemail.
Clinton's erratic behavior and alleged abuse against Magovern, coupled with the link to the phone call, made police believe he is the killer.
After obtaining a search warrant for Clinton's car and apartment, police seized blue jeans, sweatpants, underwear, socks, shoes, keys and a cellphone.
Police also got a search warrant for Clinton's DNA.
He is currently in the Taylor County Jail on a $60,000 bond for criminal mischief and motion to revoke, possession of meth.
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