CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's a case that gained national attention. A South Carolina woman sentenced to prison for killing her husband with eye drops. Now, officials say Lana Clayton would have likely gotten away with the crime had it not been for toxicology tests being ran through a private lab.
"This one probably takes the cake as far as being bizarre," said York County Judge Paul Burch.
Family member and friends wept as they spoke about Steven Clayton in court on Thursday.
In the end, Judge Burch sentenced Lana Clayton to 25 years in prison for killing Stephen in 2018.
"I never thought it would kill him," said Lana Clayton as she spoke to the judge.
Lana Clayton admitted to killing Steven by spiking his water with Visine eye drops. A chemical, tetrahydrozoline, or THZ, found inside eye drops can kill someone if consumed.
But it's a chemical that's not tested for by toxicologists at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, or SLED.
Authorities credit Steven's family for growing suspicious after the circumstances didn't add up, forcing law enforcement to take a deeper look.
Steven's samples were then sent to a private lab that did test for THZ, and the results were telling, ultimately leading to Lana's arrest.
Officials are now urging changes at SLED.
"These crime labs are going to have to adjust accordingly to these toxicology tests," Burch said.
"We need to expand our laboratory capabilities in detecting some of these substances rather quickly because time was of the essence," said York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson.
"I have to hand it to her, she fooled a lot of people, and she almost got away with it," said Rosemarie Clayton, Steven's sister.
A family's suspicions, leading to damning lab results, and now a killer behind bars.
There is an ongoing eye drop case in Gaston County. A man is accused of poisoning his wife in the same way. The only difference is the state medical examiner's office in North Carolina is able to test for THZ.
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