A man accused of killing his ex-wife in Waldoboro has been returned to Maine after he was arrested in Florida.
James Clark, 49, was indicted Wednesday on one count of intentional or knowing murder, a class A crime with a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
He is accused of causing the death of 53-year-old Levern Kelley, who is identified in Clark’s indictment as a “family or household member.” The couple was married for a short time and, according to court records, divorced in 2023.
State police announced Kelley was found dead after officers did a welfare check on Aug. 9.
Clark was arrested in Florida a week later. State police said he had fled after they obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Clark’s attorney Andrew Wright said in an email Wednesday that his client willingly waived extradition from Florida. He is being held without bail.
Clark has not yet responded to the allegations in court. The court still hadn’t scheduled an arraignment date as of Thursday, according to a clerk.
The affidavit for Clark’s arrest, outlining the state’s case, had not yet been made public by Thursday, according to Barbara Cardone, a spokesperson for the courts.
Prosecutors asked that the affidavit be sealed from public view while they were still searching for Clark, claiming the disclosure would “interfere with the continued investigation of this matter.”
Wright had to request access to Clark’s arrest warrant after his client was arrested in Florida, according to a motion filed Aug. 21. He complained about the “typical exceedingly slow pace of discovery production” from the Office of the Maine Attorney General, which prosecutes homicides.
“Due process obviously begins at the onset of the case, especially since the client has already been arrested on the Fugitive charge,” Wright wrote. “Hindering access to the affidavit during this crucial period would constitute a significant violation of the Defendant’s Due Process Rights.”
Clark has a lengthy criminal record involving substance use, illegally possessing a firearm, and driving offenses, according to a state background check.
He was charged in June 2024 with one count each of domestic violence assault and criminal threatening, both class D charges, against Kelley. Prosecutors dropped those charges and Clark pleaded guilty to one count of criminal mischief in January, according to court records.
