Newton Death – Authorities have confirmed that the body discovered in a crashed pickup truck in Harvey County is that of Jonathan L. Clayton, a former Kansas Department of Commerce official who was under investigation for suspected embezzlement of federal pandemic relief funds. Clayton’s partner, Christopher King, confirmed the identification on Monday. The media released a statement on Sunday night revealing that the crash involved a 2011 Chevy Silverado owned by Clayton. The truck was found on a property near the interchange of I-135 and U.S. 50, commonly known as the Peabody exit.
The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday from a property owner who discovered the crashed vehicle. King, who also serves on the Peabody City Council, told *The Eagle* that Clayton was identified through items found in his wallet and personal belongings. According to King, it appears Clayton had been deceased for about three weeks, with the vehicle having crashed into a tree in a steep ravine. King noted that the location of the crash was difficult to spot from the highway, which may explain why it was not discovered sooner.
“The ravine is very steep, and he hit a tree,” King said. “A bunch of us drove right past it without seeing it.” King expressed hope that an autopsy will provide more clarity on the cause of Clayton’s death. The media has indicated that investigators suspect the vehicle was deliberately driven off the road and into the tree, but no further details about the crash have been released. The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol are actively involved in the ongoing investigation. Clayton, 42, had been last seen on August 3. He was serving as the interim city clerk in Peabody at the time, a role he took on amid growing scrutiny over his previous felony convictions and his handling of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Clayton had previously been convicted of theft and forgery in Pennsylvania for misusing an employer’s credit cards, resulting in a 2018 probation sentence and a $210,000 restitution order. In Kansas, Clayton was employed as the director of economic recovery at the Kansas Department of Commerce, where he managed programs involving significant federal pandemic aid. His previous felony convictions were not known to the agency at the time of his hiring. More recently, grants managed by Clayton in Peabody and Mullinville had faced increased scrutiny.
The Kansas Department of Commerce sought a temporary restraining order earlier this month to prevent the Mullinville Community Foundation from using approximately $211,000 in grant funding, citing concerns of embezzlement. Additionally, court documents revealed that Clayton and his husband were served a debt collection lawsuit on the same day Clayton disappeared. Newton Medical Center is pursuing a claim for $335.95 plus interest, among other unpaid bills. Clayton’s disappearance had been noted on a missing persons page, which was removed as of Sunday night.
An email sent from Clayton’s account on August 8, shortly after his disappearance, claimed that his vanishing was connected to his involvement in a scheme to divert pandemic aid. The email alleged that Lt. Gov. David Toland, who is also the Kansas Secretary of Commerce, directed Clayton to serve on the board of the Iola Theatre Association and fundraise for the theater’s restoration during work hours. The circumstances surrounding Clayton’s death, including the potential involvement of high-profile individuals and any links to his professional duties, remain under investigation.
News from tbc15.com
