Wife charged with murder after body of missing NC Green Beret found in pond

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Click here for our latest coverage

The disappearance of a former North Carolina Green Beret is now a murder investigation, and someone close to him has been charged in connection with his death.

Clinton Bonnell was reported missing in January.

According to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, his wife Shana Cloud was arrested on Friday after the body found in a pond in Cumberland County in February was identified as his.

Cloud has been charged with first-degree murder and concealment of a death. Her arrest comes two months after the investigation into her husband's disappearance.

She is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center.

Bonnell's Disappearance Timeline

Clinton "Clint" Bonnell, 50, was reportedly last seen in the Gray's Creek area on Jan. 27.

Bonnell was a student at Methodist University and enrolled in the Physician Assistant Program. When he failed to show up for morning class on Jan. 28, an employee at the university called the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office and requested a well-being check on Bonnell at his Fayetteville home.

Deputies said they talked to Cloud, who allegedly told them she hadn't seen Bonnell since the day before; even though they noted that his car, book bag, and other personal items were still at the house.

Later the same day, the sheriff's office says they received another call requesting a welfare check on Bonnell. That's when he was officially reported missing, and the case was assigned to their Major Crimes Unit.

On Jan. 30, the case was reassigned to the Homicide Unit.

On Feb. 1, detectives went to Virginia and, with assistance from the Virginia State Police, executed search warrants on Cloud's vehicle, rental property, and cell phone. Evidence relevant to the investigation was collected and brought back to Cumberland County.

Multiple search warrants were obtained and executed for digital data, including but not limited to cell phone records, video footage, digital devices, etc. The data collected was analyzed and used to develop a timeline of events not only surrounding Bonnell's disappearance but his whereabouts before his disappearance.

On Feb. 25, the sheriff's office received a call about human remains in a body of water in the 4200 block of Gainey Road. Because of the condition of the remains, an immediate identification was not possible.

DNA from the remains was sent to the North Carolina State Crime Lab. That DNA profile was then sent to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) to be compared with the DNA on file for Bonnell.

On Friday, the AFMES confirmed that the DNA collected was that of Bonnell, leading to charges against his wife.

Methodist University issued a statement saying, "We are thankful to our MU community, on-campus police, and the partnership with local law enforcement who are working with the individual's family. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time."

Download the ABC11 App to get breaking news, weather updates

Anyone with further information about this investigation is urged to call Sgt. J. Mcleod at (910) 677-5548 or CrimeStoppers at (910)483-TIPS (8477). You do not have to reveal your identity.