Family of Dominque Clayton seeking $5 million in damages from Oxford

GRENADA, Miss. (WCBI) – New developments emerged out of Oxford involving a former police officer who was charged with murder.

Attorney Carlos Moore filed a notice on behalf of the family of Dominque Clayton seeking more than $5 million in damages from the city in connection with her death.

Clayton was found dead in her home on May 19.

Moore said they’re suing the city for wrongful death and negligence.

The notice lays out what the firm believed led up to Clayton’s death, allegedly at the hands of former Oxford police officer Matthew Kinne.

Moore said he believed the city of Oxford is responsible for Clayton’s death, and that her murder was premeditated.

“My investigation revealed that Matthew Kinne was on the clock when he killed Ms. Clayton,” said Moore. “He used his city-issued weapon, he used a city cruiser, and he was in uniform when he did it.”

In the notice, Moore said Kinnie would routinely visit Clayton prior to her death.

“We believe that the supervisors had to have known this man was missing between two and three hours several nights a week while he went to have conjugal visits with Ms. Clayton,” said Moore. “We believe those officers were complicit to her death.”

The notice also stated that before she died, Clayton thought she was pregnant by Officer Kinne.

Moore said so far that hasn’t been proven.

However, he did state that Clayton and the former officer were involved romantically for two years, which he believes likely could’ve been a motive behind the killing.

“That’s speculation, that’s one possible motive,” expressed Moore. “Another possible motive is a fatal attraction. Some of her friends have told me that she wanted to leave Matthew Kinne and he did not want her to leave, he wanted her to remain in a relationship with him, and some people when they have a fatal attraction, if they cannot have you they’d rather have you dead.”

Kinne is currently behind bars in Panola County charged with first-degree murder.

However, Moore and Clayton’s family believed the charge should be upgraded.

“We believe what he did was callous, we believe it was cold-blooded murder,” said Moore. “We believe he broke into the house and committed the crime, so anytime there is two felonies that’s capital murder.”

The city of Oxford now has 90 days to respond to the notice, if not, Moore said a lawsuit will be filed.

The mayor’s office released a statement saying they’ve received the notice of claim and no comment at this time.