KSP: Harlan County man arrested, accused of stabbing girlfriend to death

HARLAN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 News Now) — A Pathfork man has been accused of fatally stabbing his 50-year-old girlfriend in the neck and chest with a knife, according to Kentucky State Police (KSP) Trooper Shane Jacobs.

According to Jacobs, KSP Post 10 troopers were dispatched around 7 p.m. Saturday to a residence at the 6000 block of Kentucky State Highway 72 in Harlan County on reports that a female victim had been stabbed.

An investigation by police revealed that 50-year-old Mary Clayborn suffered stab wounds in her neck and chest, allegedly inflicted by 36-year-old Michael Howard. According to Jacobs, Clayborn and Howard were believed to be in a romantic relationship with one another.

Clayborn was transported to an emergency room in Harlan County, and was planned to be airlifted to a larger hospital, but was pronounced dead before the airlift due to uncontrollable bleeding from her stab wounds, according to Jacobs. Her body has been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy.

Howard was arrested without incident and lodged at the Harlan County Detention Center. He has been charged with murder, three counts of failure to appear in court, disregard for a stop sign, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, theft by unlawful taking or disposition, and resisting arrest. His murder charge has a listed bond of $1 million.

An active homicide investigation is ongoing. Assisting KSP Post 10 on-scene was the Harlan County Coroner’s Office.