Dateline: A Cold December Morning - What happened to Chanin Starbuck? Details of the 2011 murder, explored 

On December 3rd, 2011, in Deer Park, Washington, local authorities stumbled upon the tragic scene of a life taken too soon—Chanin Starbuck's lifeless body lay in her own home. At first glance, everything seemed as it should be, but beneath the surface, there was a horror no one could've anticipated.

The 42-year-old mother of five had suffered a brutal end: strangulated, tasered, and sexually assaulted. The investigation that ensued had everyone in the community talking. Soon, the focus of the case zeroed in on Chanin Starbuck's ex-husband, Clay Starbuck. Clay was found guilty and sentenced to spend the rest of his days behind bars without the possibility of parole.

Yet, even as the dust settled in the courtroom, doubts remained. Clay Starbuck has claimed his innocence and his children have stood firmly by his side. This case has etched itself into the annals of Washington's criminal history.

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What did investigators find at the Chanin Starbuck crime scene in 2011?

When Major Crimes Detectives got to Chanin Starbuck’s place, they found themselves in the middle of a puzzling situation. The house didn’t look like there had been a break-in or a fight at all, but something terrible had happened to her inside. At the trial, Detective Lyle Johnston talked about how they took so many pictures and examined everything carefully because they wanted to understand just what had gone down that day.

The cops saw a safe that was open with some personal belongings in it—like a gun and condoms. This suggested maybe it was about something happening in Chanin Starbuck’s love life. Those trying to prove that Clay Starbuck, her ex-husband, did it said that he might have gotten mad because she was seeing other people.

But here’s where things got tricky: the defense, the folks trying to show Clay didn’t do it, said the cops didn’t do a good enough job looking into everything. They pointed out that some important things, like the spot where they found Chanin’s cell phone, didn’t have fingerprints checked. And then there was a bloodstain on the bed that could’ve been hers, but nobody tested it, KREM reports.

There was also the DNA evidence. The scientists who studied it said the DNA they found could be from Clay or one of their two older sons. But the prosecution argued all the clues they had were pointing at him as the one who did it.

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Clay Starbuck’s appeals in the Chanin Starbuck case

In 2013, Clay Starbuck faced the harsh reality of being found guilty of the murder of his ex-wife, Chanin Starbuck, which led to a life sentence in prison without parole. However, Clay remained steadfast in his claim of innocence, a stance that was echoed by his children, who supported him throughout the legal proceedings. They believed their father had not taken Chanin Starbuck's life.

After the sentence was handed down, Starbuck did not give up. He pursued an appeal, raising several points that his legal team thought could sway the outcome. They argued that the court had overlooked alternative suspects and that evidence regarding his wife's relationships with other men was kept from the jury.

Moreover, they claimed that playing a 911 call from the day she was killed had an undue influence on the jury's decision and accused the prosecutor of making inappropriate comments during the closing arguments of the trial, per KVUE.

Yet, in 2015, the Washington State Court of Appeals ruled against him, leaving the original guilty verdict intact. Despite this setback, Starbuck's attorney announced intentions to bring the case to the Washington State Supreme Court. As of now, no decision has come through to reverse his conviction.

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Those who wish to learn more about the details of the Chanin Starbuck case, including the trial and subsequent appeals, can watch the coverage titled Dateline: A Cold December Morning on NBC or Peacock.

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