Murder suspect is former Marine

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The man suspected of murdering his girlfriend in Southwest Austin on December 29 is a former Marine who worked as a guard at the T Don Hutto Detention Facility in Williamson County, according to Austin police.

Ryan Clarke, 27, is charged with first degree murder in the killing of Cassandra Clark, 26. An arrest warrant for Clarke revealed Williamson County deputies found him in a white Chevy Trailblazer at the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park on Saturday morning. Clarke was slumped over the driver's seat of the vehicle. According to the arrest warrant, Clarke was covered in blood and holding a knife.

Clarke was then transported to Seton Hospital in Williamson County. The following day, Clarke told a hospital social worker he had injured someone at an apartment complex on West William Cannon in South Austin. When Austin police arrived at the apartment, they found Clark dead in the bedroom, with obvious physical trauma.

"We were shocked and saddened to hear about the untimely death of our friend and colleague," said Tina Mabley, an assistant dean at the UT school of business where Cassandra Clark worked.

Cassandra worked as a student financial aid officer in the MBA Program Office at the McCombs School of Business for the last 9 months.

"She provided a much-needed and much-appreciated service to our students by helping them navigate the financial aid process," said Mabley. "Cassandra was a warm and kind person who was always willing to lend a hand to her colleagues.  Our thoughts are with her family at this very, very difficult time."

Funeral services for Cassandra Clark will be held Saturday in her native Wisconsin.

According to the arrest warrant, police responded to a family disturbance call between the couple in April 2011. At the time, the couple agreed Clarke had not intentionally tried to hurt Clark.

Austin police said Clarke was a veteran who had been honorable discharged from the Marines.

He has been booked into the Travis County Jail. His bail has been set at $100,000.

The homicide was the 8th in Austin in 2012 involving domestic violence, up from six the previous year.