Kendall, IL: Inquest reveals brutal nature of Kendall murder-suicide

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October 25, 2009
By MATT HANLEY mhanley@scn1.com
There are few knowable details left to learn about the murder-suicide that ended the lives of Kari Clawson and her boyfriend Steven Hogan last month.

From the start, officials have characterized the deaths as a domestic argument out of control that ended with Hogan stabbing Clawson, then shooting himself, in a condominium on Light Road in Kendall County.

And in fact Hogan laid the blame at his own hand when he called his mother on Sept. 8, saying he had just killed his girlfriend and was planning to kill himself, according to police. Clawson, a 28-year-old hair stylist, was found dead in her condo. Hogan was found unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital, but died later the same day.

Last week, a coroner's inquest in Kendall County offered few new details except to explain the brutality of Clawson's injuries.

Kendall County sheriff's Detective Matt Hogan testified that officers were called to the home at 12:17 p.m. Officers found Clawson lying in the kitchen, surrounded by "copious" amounts of blood, Hogan said.

Clawson had been stabbed four times: in the right breast; in the sternum, which punctured her heart and lung; the cavity of her chest, which also punctured her lung; and into her forehead, Hogan said.

She also had been shot in the head, although the gunshot wound glanced off her skull, Hogan said.

A butcher knife with an 8-inch blade was found near the bathroom. Police found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in Clawson's system.

Hogan said the murder was set off by "girlfriend-boyfriend issues" and the couple was on the verge of breaking up, although Hogan's clothes were still in the home.

Clawson's death was ruled a homicide. Hogan's death was not examined at this week's hearing. It was not part of the inquest because he died outside of Kendall County.