Arizona Man Charged in Killing of Pregnant Wife

An Arizona man is accused of killing his pregnant wife inside their home outside Tucson, then telling detectives she had been torturing him.

Joseph Clark, 49, faces two counts of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Noelle Clark, 39. Pima County sheriff's deputies were called to the couple's home in Vail on the evening of Friday, Oct. 9, after Joseph Clark called authorities and said he had killed his wife. Deputies detained him as he was walking out the front door.

Inside, deputies found Noelle Clark's body covered with a blanket in the garage. Investigators say she was visibly pregnant, likely in her second or third trimester. According to court documents, she was beaten and stabbed in the couple's children's bedroom, and investigators allege Joseph Clark had considered how to dispose of her body.

The couple's two children, ages 2 and 5, were found unharmed on the stairs inside the home. They have since been placed in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.

According to court records, Joseph Clark told detectives he had been "tortured, shocked over a couple of years" by his wife and that this was why he killed her. Investigators said they found no visible injuries on him. Neighbors told KVOA they found him strange but never believed he was violent.

Clark is being held at the Pima County Adult Detention Complex and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 20 in Pima County Justice Court. Noelle Clark's death has prompted calls in the Tucson area for stronger protections for domestic violence victims.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.