Where is Billy Clark now? Details explored about the subject of Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen

Billy Clark confessed to killing his stepmother, Anita Clark, in 1991 and burying her body in the Arizona desert. He remains incarcerated in Arizona after more than three decades since the murder. Clark was convicted of second-degree murder and theft, receiving consecutive prison terms totaling 30 years.

According to multiple sources, the investigation began after Anita was reported missing, leading to a search that ended with Billy leading detectives to her buried and burned remains in the desert near Toltec. However, his confession became a central issue in later legal challenges.

As noted in the Clark v. Murphy court records appellate ruling, Billy initially stated, “I think I would like to talk to a lawyer,” during police questioning, which raised questions about his Miranda rights. However, the courts later deemed the request ambiguous and ruled that his confession was admissible under federal law.

Although he later claimed to have found Anita already dead, the jury rejected this defense. Fatal Family Feuds on Oxygen revisits the case in its new episode, Disappearance in the Desert, which aired on April 20, 2025.

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Billy Clark said he panicked, loaded the body in the trunk, and dumped it in the desert

The Fatal Family Feuds episode titled Disappearance in the Desert on Oxygen revisits the 1991 murder of 60-year-old Anita Clark, whose stepson, Billy Clark, ultimately confessed to the crime. Billy, a former Marine, was living with his father Bill and stepmother Anita in the Ahwatukee area of Arizona at the time.

After Anita went missing the day after Mother’s Day, police began investigating her disappearance. Suspicion quickly fell on Billy when he was caught selling Anita’s silver Mercedes in San Diego. He confessed to Phoenix police that he snapped Anita’s neck during an argument and then burned and buried her body in the desert near Toltec.

According to multiple sources, including a Phoenix New Times report from November 20, 1991, investigators discovered Anita’s charred remains and her wedding rings at the burial site. Billy’s defense later argued that he killed Anita in self-defense after she became aggressive during a religious dispute.

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Deep family fractures and conflicting loyalties

The case revealed a long history of tension in the Clark household. Billy and his sister Margaret harbored resentment toward Anita, whom they blamed for breaking up their family. The situation was further strained by their mother Carolyn’s influence, who reportedly instilled a negative view of Anita.

According to investigators, Margaret may have even celebrated Anita’s disappearance. As reported in the Phoenix New Times, witnesses told police that Margaret once joked Billy was "(out) digging a grave" and allegedly described how the murder occurred in detail during a party days after the incident.

Billy Clark, who had recently left the Marines to care for his mother after a car accident, was reportedly struggling with depression, the trauma of finding his half-brother Jay’s suicide earlier that year, and tensions at home. During interrogation, Billy said he panicked after the murder, placed Anita’s body in the trunk, and drove to the desert to hide the crime.

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Legal battle and emotional aftermath

Billy Clark was charged with first-degree murder but ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and theft. He received a 20-year sentence for the killing and an additional 10 years for stealing Anita’s car.

The Ninth Circuit Court, in its 2003 ruling on Clark v. Murphy, as documented by Justia U.S. Law, upheld the decision to admit Billy Clark’s confession at trial, denying his attempt to suppress it. The court determined that although Billy Clark initially made an ambiguous reference to wanting a lawyer, he voluntarily waived his rights and subsequently confessed.

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Stay tuned for more updates.