Husband Accused In Wife's Suicide Pleads Not Guilty

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Petaluma man pleaded not guilty in Sonoma County Superior Court Thursday morning to voluntary manslaughter and assisting his wife's suicide last month. David Clement, 64, allegedly tried to smother his 52-year-old wife with a pillow three times over three days in January at the Inn At The Tides in Bodega Bay, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's office.

When that failed, Clement and his wife Debra Bales bought a rope, and Clement helped hang Bales from a tree near the hotel, sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Crum said.

Clement called 911 after the successful hanging on Jan. 10 and he was arrested for attempted murder and aiding his wife's suicide. The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office charged him with felony voluntary
manslaughter and assisting a suicide.

Clement's attorney Scott Fishman said Bales was taking an opiate for chronic pain and she was concerned about becoming addicted.

Clement is being held in Sonoma County Jail under $300,000 bail.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 17.

PREVIOUS:

• Petaluma Man Jailed For Wife's Suicide Appears In Court
• Petaluma Man Arrested In Wife's Suicide: Sonoma Co. Sheriff
• Voluntary Manslaughter: Petaluma Man Charged In Wife's Suicide

By Bay City News Service

Image via Shutterstock