Randy Lansing, a 41-year-old resident of Aneth, Utah, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Tammy Clark. The sentence was delivered by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer after Lansing was found guilty by a federal jury of second-degree murder within Indian Country.
The court heard that on April 23, 2022, Lansing murdered Clark, a 30-year-old mother of three. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Lansing severely beat and drowned Clark in front of her two young daughters at McElmo Creek. The injuries inflicted included a broken nose, facial swelling, brain hemorrhages, lacerations to her cheek and ear, a fractured neck bone, broken ribs, and blunt force trauma.
Lansing also threatened one of Clark's daughters before transporting Clark's body to Aneth in his SUV. His mother alerted neighbors who called for an ambulance. Despite attempts to save her life by neighbors and an EMT until emergency services arrived, Clark was pronounced dead at the hospital.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins stated: “Mr. Lansing subjected Ms. Clark to an unthinkable level of brutality before her death, all witnessed by her young daughters.” She emphasized Lansing's history of violence against women and expressed hope for healing for Clark’s children.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Kelly from the Salt Lake City FBI remarked on the lasting impact on the victim’s family and reaffirmed the FBI's commitment to justice alongside tribal law enforcement partners.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency and Navajo Nation Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit. United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tad May and Tanner Zumwalt prosecuted the case.