Former Classmate Charged in 1995 Murder of Mary Catherine Edwards

A file photo of Mary Catherine Edwards. Courtesy of Texas Department of Public Safety

A former classmate has been charged in the 26-year-old case of Mary Catherine Edwards, who was raped and murdered in 1995.

Edwards was a teacher who lived alone in Beaumont, Texas. She was last seen on the evening of Jan. 13, 1995. Her parents discovered her body in the bathroom after going to her house to check on her when she didn’t respond to phone calls.

Authorities determined she had been sexually assaulted and killed.

A spokesperson from the Beaumont Police Department confirmed to Beaumont Enterprise that the suspect was arrested in Ohio. Court documents obtained by KFDM-TV identified the suspect as 61-year-old Clayton Bernard Foreman who currently lives in Franklin County, Ohio.

Clayton Bernard Foreman, 61, in a booking photo. Courtesy of Franklin County Sheriff's Office

Public records show Foreman was taken into custody on April 29 and is awaiting extradition to Texas. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office identified him as a fugitive from Texas for murder.

He was charged for the rape and murder of Edwards, his former high school classmate.

She was also a bridesmaid at the wedding of Foreman and his first wife, Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham told KFDM-TV.

Foreman went to Forest Park High School, now West Brook Senior High School, with Edwards at the same time. He helped organize Forest Park High School reunions and was in charge of the reunion tributes to former classmates who died, the outlet reported, citing former classmates.

DNA evidence helped in solving the cold case.

Authorities said DNA collected from trash at Foreman’s residence matched DNA taken from Edwards and her home in 1995.

In a similar case, Foreman was charged with rape in 1981 and pleaded guilty to raping a fellow Forest Park High School classmate. He was sentenced to three years of probation in that case.

Beaumont Police Chief Jim Singletary praised the officers from the Robbery-Homicide Unit for cracking the 26-year-old cold case.

“They take it personally, and they‘ll do everything they can, they’ll follow the evidence until it runs out, and then maybe let it sit for a while and try some other avenues,” he said.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Beaumont Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office for comments.