The Mountaineer

The Clyde man accused of beating a man to death, dumping his body in the Fines Creek area was indicted Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder.

Matthew Robert Caldwell, 27, remains in custody of the Haywood County Jail accused of beating to death Jesse Lee Parker, 44, of Clyde, whose body was discovered recently over an embankment on Panther Creek Road.

Caldwell’s wife, Crystal Elizabeth Moody, 27, was also indicted Tuesday, accused of being an accessory to the crime after the fact. She was jailed under $125,000 bond.

During the course of investigating Parker’s death, Det. Edmund New, Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, said authorities uncovered evidence that linked Caldwell and Moody to a separate crime.

In a separate case, the couple and two additional women face charges of conspiring to commit murder and second-degree burglary.

Alicia Creasman, 24, of Waynesville and Ashley Duckett, 22, of Clyde were also jailed Tuesday under $100,000 bond each.

All four individuals are accused of breaking into a Canton residence and conspiring to commit murder. Authorities are saying little about the incident at this time.

The crimes for which Creasman and Duckett face charges are unrelated to Parker’s alleged murder, said New.

The Clyde man’s lifeless, naked body was discovered Oct. 26 laying about 25 to 30 feet over an embankment off Panther Creek Road near a bottle of Clorox bleach. His legs were bound to his right arm by a rope, according to court records.

Autopsy reports released the following afternoon determined Parker died of blunt force trauma to the back of the head, Haywood County Sheriff Bobby Suttles said.

Witness reports obtained at that time linked Caldwell and his wife to the crime. During interviews conducted by authorities, witnesses told investigators Caldwell beat Parker to death for kissing his wife, according to court records.

Caldwell told witnesses he used a stick to beat Parker numerous times in the head, court records state. Caldwell explained he had read forensic books and poured bleach all over Parker’s body before dumping him in a ditch.

After identifying the body, authorities confirmed the link to an incident on Oct. 19 at which time Parker’s white Ford van was discovered on fire by a N.C. trooper who determined the suspicious fire was likely the result of arson, according to court records.

Suttles said the investigation is ongoing.