The disappearance of former North Carolina Green Beret Clinton “Clint” Bonnell has officially turned into a murder investigation, with his wife, Shana Cloud, now facing charges. Two months after Bonnell was reported missing, and weeks after DNA confirmed a limbless torso found in a pond belonged to him, Cloud was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a death.
During her first court appearance on Monday, gruesome new details surfaced. Prosecutors revealed that not all of Bonnell’s limbs—including his head—have been recovered. “It is a horrific case and just a terrible condition that the body was found in. It was just a torso. It did not have legs or arms or a head when it was found,” said Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West. Investigators also disclosed that Cloud was caught on video near the location where Bonnell’s remains were discovered.
It was also revealed in court that the second welfare check requested on January 28 came from Bonnell’s girlfriend, not just a concerned friend. The first request that morning had come from Methodist University after he failed to show up for class. According to new details, Bonnell had visited a lawyer’s office on January 27 to initiate a divorce. He had allegedly told his girlfriend he was preparing to leave his marriage and that he had informed his wife of his decision. That same day was the last time he was seen alive. Investigators now believe Cloud shot and killed her husband inside their home the next day.
Cloud’s attorney, James MacRae Jr., maintains her innocence, stating, “I want you to know that Mrs. Cloud is innocent and looks forward to her day in court.” Court records also revealed that Cloud worked as a traveling nurse, including a stint with the Virginia Department of Corrections. She is currently being held without bond and could face the death penalty if convicted.
From Missing to Murdered: How the Case Unfolded
Bonnell, 50, a Special Forces veteran and a student in the Physician Assistant Program at Methodist University, was last seen in the Gray’s Creek area of Cumberland County on January 27. When he failed to show up for class the next morning, an employee at Methodist University called the sheriff’s office, prompting a welfare check at his Fayetteville home.
Two days later, on January 30, the case was reassigned to the Homicide Unit, though authorities have not disclosed the reason behind this decision. This critical development was not shared with the public or The Salty Soldier. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office continued to classify the case as a missing persons investigation until Cloud’s arrest, withholding the shift to a homicide investigation from public knowledge.
On February 1, investigators developed leads that took them to Virginia, where Cloud owned property. With assistance from the Virginia State Police, they executed search warrants on her vehicle, rental property, and cell phone, seizing evidence that was transported back to Cumberland County. Throughout February, detectives secured multiple search warrants to analyze Cloud’s digital footprint, including phone records, video surveillance, and other data.
The case took a dark turn on February 25 when human remains were found in a body of water at 4231 Gainey Road. The severely mutilated condition of the remains prevented immediate identification, but DNA testing later confirmed they belonged to Bonnell. The confirmation came on March 28, leading to Cloud’s arrest that same day. She was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Cumberland County Detention Center.
This case has sent shockwaves through the Special Forces community and the Methodist University Physician Assistant Program. Authorities urge the public to respect the privacy of Bonnell’s family and to be mindful of discussions online. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has extended gratitude to all agencies involved, including the Virginia State Police, North Carolina State Crime Lab, Ft. Bragg Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and others.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Sergeant J. McLeod at (910) 677-5548 or CrimeStoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at Fay-NC Crimestoppers or through the “P3 Tips” app on Apple and Android devices.
The Salty Soldier will continue to follow this case as more details emerge.
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