Murdered woman called 911 as killers approached

Jace Larson - 06/04/2010



DENVER - New information obtained by 9Wants to Know reveals the woman set to testify in an attempted murder case called for help after two people broke into her house, and was talking to a 911 operator as she was killed.

Kalonniann Clark was killed Dec. 6, 2006, days before she was to testify against Brian Hicks in an attempted murder case.

Prosecutors believe Hicks, while in jail, asked Willie Clark to murder Kalonniann Clark. Hicks and Willie Clark have not gone to trial on that case. Willie Clark has been convicted of the Jan. 1, 2007 murder of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams.

Willie Clark is serving life in prison for the murder. Kalonniann Clark and Willie Clark are not related.

9Wants to Know's requests for an audio copy of the 911 call were denied by the Denver District Attorney's office.

"We don't discuss or release possible evidence in an upcoming trial," Denver District Attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said Wednesday.

New court documents obtained by 9Wants to Know show on the night of Kalonniann Clark's murder, two men broke into her house and claimed to be police. Kalonniann Clark's husband, Nicholas James, told officers he heard a "loud noise followed by men yelling that they were the police."

When James confronted the men, he realized they were wearing masks and were not police officers.

The men ordered James down to the floor in the kitchen, court documents say.

The men appeared uninterested in him and instead went after Kalonniann Clark, James told investigators.

James then told officers he heard gunfire.

Denver's chief medical examiner determined Kalonniann Clark died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Willie Clark, Shun Birch and Brian Hicks are charged in her murder.

James' description of the two suspects' height, weight and ethnicity is similar to those of Shun Birch and Willie Clark, according to court records and Colorado Bureau of Investigation records reviewed by 9Wants to Know.

At the time of Kalonniann Clark's murder, Hicks was in jail awaiting trial for allegedly trying to kill her the year before on June 12, 2005 outside a Denver night club.

Police say Hicks repeatedly shot in the direction of Kalonniann Clark before officers found him hiding a block away from the shooting wearing a bulletproof vest. He had bullets in his pants from the same type of gun used to shoot at Kalonniann Clark minutes before, court documents say.

Kalonniann Clark had received threats warning her not to testify in the attempted murder case against Hicks, police say.

9Wants to Know has also learned Denver Police recently spoke with a man who says he heard Willie Clark admit he had "taken out some chick" and also admit to killing Darrent Williams. The witness tells officers Clark made the admission at a local business.

Denver Police detectives obtained a search warrant last month for a cell phone that has been inside Willie Clark's SUV since his arrest after the murder of Darrent Williams.

In court paperwork, detectives asked for permission to search the phone for telephone numbers, text messages and other information.

The cell phone could help corroborate the statements of the man who claims he heard Willie Clark admit to two killings, according to police.

Hicks is set to go on trial on Aug. 3. Birch is set to go on trial Aug. 31. Willie Clark's trial date for Kalonniann Clark's murder has not been set.

Denver prosecutors announced Dec. 1, 2009 they will not seek the death penalty against the three men.

Willie Clark was sentenced April 30 to life in prison without a chance of parole plus an additional 1,152 years for murdering Darrent Williams.

A jury convicted Clark of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder on March 11.

Willie Clark fired a gun into Williams' Hummer limousine in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2007.

The shooting came after a several altercations between Williams, other Denver Broncos players and a group of gang members at the Shelter nightclub.

From: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=140210&provider=top