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| Allard, Tyner |
BATH -- The man credited with overseeing the mammoth criminal investigation into the September 2015 murder of Kelley Clayton was commended Monday for his efforts. Steuben County Sheriff Capt. Eric Tyner responded to the initial call for police assistance Sept. 29, established a lead desk and began the "herculean" task of overseeing one of the largest and most complex homicide investigations in the history of Steuben, county Sheriff Jim Allard said. Tyner was intricately involved in the oversight of the investigation and worked with State Police Sr. Inv. Rick Kemp to ensure all members of law enforcement worked together to apprehend the criminals, Allard told the county Legislature’s Public Safety and Corrections Committee. "Captain Tyner worked tirelessly on this investigation, and on the day in which Michael Beard was arrested for murder, he worked over twenty hours after a week in which an easy day was only twelve hours," Allard told the committee. Beard and co-defendant Thomas Clayton both were found guilty of first- and second- degree murder charges in subsequent, separate trials. Beard was sentenced Feb. 27 to life in prison without parole. Clayton is scheduled to be sentenced April 17.
As a part of his efforts, Tyner created a digital "lead desk" in which all 467 leads, associated notes and hand-written lead sheets could be readily retrieved. The electronic lead desk housed and organized more than 14,000 documents. Tyner worked diligently with Chemung County District Attorney Weeden Wetmore’s office throughout Beard’s and Clayton’s trials and was available at any time to assist in data and evidence recall, often working weekends, evenings and holidays in order to provide the needed resources to successfully prosecute the heinous crime, Allard told county legislators. "I commend and thank Captain Eric R. Tyner of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office for his dedication, professionalism, and commitment to justice in Steuben County," Allard said, in his commendation. "I am honored to serve the citizens of Steuben County with such a consummate professional who is a leader both at the Sheriff’s Office and in the Steuben County law enforcement community."
