On September 26 there will be two public prayer vigils dedicated to the unsolved murder case of Susan Shearin Clary, who served as an assistant town clerk in Weldon’s tax office.

One will be held at noon in the front of town hall at 109 Washington Avenue where Clary worked and the second at 5:30 p.m. at Weldon’s Cedarwood Cemetery where she and her unborn son are interred. The cemetery is located at the intersection of Cedar and East Ninth streets.

The prayer vigils are being organized by Francis Kyle, a clergyman and community volunteer. He is organizing the vigils as a private citizen.

Clary, 21 at the time of her death, was working at town hall. She was murdered on May 16, 1983, at her Washington Avenue rental house. She was recently married and was eight months pregnant with her first child — Chad Ray Clary.

Because Clary had uncharacteristically failed to show up to work that Monday morning her adoptive father visited the home and discovered the crime scene. 

A commemorative framed photo of the 1980 Weldon High School graduate is displayed in the town board’s chamber.

"Forty years is a long time to have a double homicide go unsolved," Kyle said. "And especially in a small, semi-rural town where people tend to talk, and the facts often and eventually come out.” In his four years so far in Halifax County, he said, “I have met area residents who well remember May 16, 1983, and who are obviously still emotionally affected by the horrific and sad tragedy.”

Said Kyle: “What pre-DNA testing era and later homicide detectives have been unable to do in 40 years, I am confident divine action can do in less than a millisecond and in answer to earnest prayers. 

“Combined with faith even as small as a mustard seed, I read in the Good Book that praying in the name of the miracle-working Jewish carpenter from Galilee can move mountains and therefore 'nothing will be impossible.’ A mountain-moving miracle is clearly needed to solve the Clary cold case."

Anyone with information is encouraged to anonymously contact CrimeStoppers at 252-583-4444 or its website

They can also contact Team Cold Case at 252-406-6736, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or teamcoldcase.com

A reward of up to $15,000 is being offered.