A man accused of attempting to kill his ex-fiancee pleaded not guilty to charges related to attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm in Whatcom County Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 30.
Clayton Du Bois, 43, appeared for his arraignment Friday morning while in custody of the Whatcom County Jail. During the hearing, he said little other than he was searching for an attorney to represent him.
At the time, he was represented by a Whatcom County public defender.
Du Bois was arrested in the early morning hours of Aug. 20 at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center after he dropped a bloody woman off at the hospital and tried to leave, according to court documents.
The victim had multiple injuries including facial fractures, a broken left elbow, broken ribs on both sides of her torso and lacerations and scrapes, according to court documents. She was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.
Law enforcement officers were called to the hospital to help hospital security staff detain Du Bois, according to court documents. Du Bois told law enforcement at the hospital that “he was smoking meth and was going to ‘mercy kill.’”
During the course of the investigation, Du Bois admitted to consuming meth, marijuana and tequila, according to the documents. He told law enforcement that the victim had “put a spell on him” and that he hit her twice with two propane tanks.
While in custody, Du Bois said he was having “a great time with [the victim] last night and then the next thing he knew he woke up and found her in a pool of blood,” according to court documents.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Du Bois’s residence in Blaine. During the search, law enforcement observed a pool of blood near a propane tank and found firearms in the residence.
Since Du Bois has a criminal conviction, probable cause was established for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Du Bois remains incarcerated at the Whatcom County Jail on a $500,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 25.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
