| Accident or Murder? | |
| Season 04, Episode 09 | |
| Air Date | December 1, 1999 |
| Previous | Body of Evidence |
| Next | Core Evidence |
Accident or Murder? refers to episode 9 of the Season 4 of the television series Forensic Files which was broadcast for the first time on December 1, 1999.
Plot summary[]
In 1989 in Nova Scotia, schoolteacher Clayton Johnson left for work. Later that morning, Mr. Molloy arrived to drop off his child at the Johnson home. He found Clayton's wife, Janice Johnson, lying at the bottom of the basement stairs in a pool of blood, and it was determined to be an accident.
Later on, Clayton Johnson married a 22-year-old member of his church. When homicide investigator Brian Oldford heard this, he became suspicious and decided to reinvestigate. He learned that Clayton had obtained a $125,000 life insurance policy on Janice shortly before she died.
Clayton Johnson was arrested and convicted of first-degree murder. By examining the photos and nature of the injuries, the defense team was convinced that she had fallen backwards. The accidental fall scenario also accounted for the lack of defensive wounds on both Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Johnson. After serving 5 years in prison, Clayton Johnson won his appeal and was released from prison.