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31-year-old elementary school teacher Mary Catherine Edwards was found dead in her house in Beaumont, Texas, on January 14, 1995. She was found by her parents in her bathtub, with her hands cuffed. Looking at the scene, the investigators could comprehend that the victim had suffered s*xual violence.
The case remained cold for almost 30 years until a breakthrough in June 2021. With major advancements in DNA technology, the investigators could decipher the preserved DNA samples from the crime scenes. Based on the forensic reports, a man named Clayton Foreman was arrested. He was found guilty and was sent for lifetime imprisonment, without bail for 30 years.
The entire story behind the murder of Mary Catherine Edwards is documented in the 48 Hours episode titled Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine, which airs on November 9, 2024, at 10 pm EST.
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What is the story of Mary Catherine Edwards?
Mary Catherine Edwards was an elementary school teacher in the city of Beaumont, Texas. On January 14, 1995, the Texas Police Department received a 911 call from Mary's parents, Lum Caswell Edwards Jr. and Mary Ann.
As per CBS, the parents discovered Mary murdered in the bathtub, with handcuffs tied behind her back. The investigators went on to collect DNA and genetic materials from the scene, but in 1995, advancements in DNA technology were limited. Hence, they couldn't find any crucial information from the evidence but decided to preserve it.
The handcuff was found to be a police-grade Smith & Wesson, and initially, the culprit was considered to be connected to law enforcement. But even after running its serial number through the official records, no concrete information could be confirmed. The authorities went through Mary's background and her acquaintances, including gym members. But no major suspect was found.
As a result, the case went cold and remained so for almost the next three decades. As per a CBS article, published on November 8, 2024, Beaumont Police Detective Aaron Lewallen told 48 Hours that the murder of Mary Catherine Edward almost became like a ghost story told around the campfire. It was 25 years later when the case of Mary Catherine Edwards was reopened.
Mary Catherine Edwards's case reopened in 2021
Almost three decades after the murder of Mary Catherine Edwards, a breakthrough came into the case with the use of genetic genealogy. Texas Ranger Brandon Bess teamed up with the detective couple Aaron and Tina Lewallen, along with genealogist Shera LaPoint, and re-examined the preserved genetic material retrieved from the scene. As per an LMT Online article, published on November 7, 2024, the team constructed a genealogical family tree of DNA.
As per a Beaumont Enterprise article, published on November 8, 2024, authorities had spent $10,000 for the tests at a Maryland lab. With continuous work for almost a period of three months, the team managed to find the culprit. The investigators had expected that the murderer to be connected to the police department, based on the handcuffs found.
But it turned out that the murderer of Mary Catherine Edwards was a guy named Clayton Foreman. He went to the same high school as Mary and her twin sister Allison. Police collected his DNA from his trash, which matched the samples found at the crime scene.
Upon investigation, the investigators learned that both sisters had been bridesmaids at Clayton's wedding. His first wife, Dianna Coe, also went to the same high school and had been close friends with both the sisters.
Clayton Foreman had a history of violence against women
Clayton Foreman and Dianna Coe got married in 1982 and stayed together for 11 years. As per CBS, after their marriage, Dianne began to notice Clayton's strange obsession with police tools. In conversation with 48 Hours contributor Natalie Morales, she said,
"He had a billy club that he kept…by the bed. You know, said it was for protection. And I remember that he had ordered those handcuffs ... Well, he had them hung over the rearview mirror."
She also recalled the day when she had a conversation with Clayton after Mary was murdered. He showed absolutely no emotion on the news, which she thought was odd. Dianne also confessed that it was during 1985-86 when Clayton tried to assault one of her friends after she let him enter the house. He brushed it off as some kind of misunderstanding.
As per Beaumont Enterprise, back in 1981, Clayton had pleaded guilty to s*xually assaulting a high school classmate. Theresa Brewer, an ex-fiance of Clayton, testified that he had kept photographs of his friends’ young girls to fantasize about them. Retired Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham was one of the lead members who brought this investigation back into the limelight.
Though he denied the accusations, Clayton was found guilty by the jury in less than an hour. For the murder of Mary Catherine Edwards, he was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment, without parole for 30 years.
The reason behind the murder was initially considered to be drowning. But in March 2024, pathologist Dr. Charles Harvey summed up that entrapment asphyxiation, which means lack of oxygen due to choking, was the reason behind her death.
To know more about Mary Catherine Edwards, watch the entire episode titled Tracking the Killer of Mary Catherine on 48 hours. Viewers can get access to all the episodes on CBS and Paramount Plus.
