Man accused in brutal family attack expected to take plea deal

A man accused of attacking his ex-wife and multiple children is expected to take a plea deal on Friday.

Stephen Clare is accused of shooting his ex-wife, Mariah Gardner, and stabbing his daughters, Rosalie and Willow Gardner, on April 10, 2023.

Willow Gardner, an 11-month-old, did not survive her injuries.

KSAT will livestream Friday’s proceedings in the video player above. Delays are possible; if there’s no livestream available, check back at a later time.

Clare has been charged with capital murder of a child under 10 years old, attempted capital murder of a child, aggravated assault with a weapon and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

>> Trial for man accused in brutal family attack delayed amid plea deadline extension

In a hearing on Feb. 20, Judge Joel Perez of the 437th District Court granted a plea deadline in the case. You can watch the hearing in the video player below.

Jury selection for Clare’s case was scheduled to begin next month.

Background

San Antonio police said Clare got into an argument with Mariah before he shot her and attacked her children at a home in the 500 block of Robinhood Place.

Authorities said Clare was taken into custody a short time later at another home in the 1500 block of Haskin Drive, located approximately a mile and a half from the Robinhood Place home.

During a Feb. 6 hearing, San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Christopher Lloyd provided testimony on the department’s investigation following the attack.

Lloyd said multiple warrants were issued to obtain pieces of evidence, which included the gun used by Clare to allegedly shoot Mariah.

The gun was not found at the crime scene. However, the state previously revealed that the gun has since been recovered after attempts from law enforcement to locate it.

Attorneys representing Clare filed several motions to suppress evidence, which includes a search warrant issued at his residence and a statement he provided to a Child Protective Services investigator at the Bexar County jail.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.

If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.

You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.