Appeal Denied for Man Convicted of Killing Toddler
Posted
Chris Tulley-
Ian Clark was denied his appeal for post-conviction relief Wednesday. Clark, 41, Pierceton, was sentenced to life incarceration without chance of parole. He was convicted March 7, 2008, for murdering 2-year-old Samantha Muchowicz, the daughter of his then girlfriend, Matara Muchowicz. During that jury trial, Clark claimed that he was drunk when the girl’s death occurred, and that he should be tried for reckless homicide instead of murder. He appeared in Kosciusko County Circuit Court before Jude Michael Reed Jan. 15, claiming that there was a fundamental error in his original trial. Clark’s original attorney, Brian Berry, has died since the 2008 case. Clark told Reed that he did not believe he was represented well by Berry or his second attorney, Brad Voelz. Reed ruled that Clark could not prove he was denied effective counsel. In May 2007, Clark was living in Pierceton with Matara and Samantha Muchowicz, according to Kosciusko Court records. The girl typically stayed with a friend while Clark and Matara were at work, but Clark had been laid off at some point in May, and in an effort to save money Matara began leaving Samantha with Clark for the day. When Matara returned home May 25 at around 2 p.m., she found Clark lying on the couch with Samantha on his chest, naked and blue, according to court records. She approached the couch and noticed blood on the blanket that was covering up Clark.
