Purdie Guerra Clark case on Snapped: Behind Bars - A complete timeline of events

In the shadowed world of true crime, few stories unravel as many layers of suspicion as that of Purdie Guerra Clark. A Texas woman whose life intersected with multiple unexplained deaths, Clark became the focus of intense scrutiny after the 2009 poisoning of her boyfriend, James Thomas "Bud" Phillips.

Phillips collapsed from strychnine-laced ice cream, leading to Clark's arrest and conviction. Yet, her past held darker questions: the 2006 shooting death of her husband, Kim Alan Clark, and the overdose of her partner, Robert Dwayne Murphy, both unsolved but with Clark as a key figure of interest.

These events paint a picture of a life marked by loss, legal battles, and lingering mysteries, all explored in depth on Oxygen's Snapped: Behind Bars. Viewers can tune in to season 3, episode 8, Purdie Clark, airing Sunday, December 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET on Oxygen, where Clark speaks publicly for the first time in 17 years. 

Snapped: Behind Bars: Late 1990s: Meeting Kim Clark and building a family with Purdie Guerra Clark

Met Purdie Guerra Clark at a Dallas bar in the latter part of the 1990s. He was an engineer at Texas Instruments at the time. They got married and lived in a rural area of Collin County, Texas.

There, they raised three young sons. Their marriage was said to be open, with swinging features.

They lived a financially sound life, as Kim worked as an engineer at Texas Instruments, while Purdie Guerra Clark took care of the household.

Problems arose when news surfaced about Purdie's theft and forgery of checks in Collin County in 2006.

This brought the initial law enforcement scrutiny against him.

Although no charges were pressed at that time for the financial irregularities, it contributed to the general suspicion about his doings later on, as per the Dallas News.

September 2006: The disappearance and death of Kim Clark

One ordinary day in September 2006, 42-year-old Kim Clark went missing from the rural home in Collin County that he shared with his family.

Shortly afterward, his heavily decomposed body was found in the bushes alongside State Highway 205, east of the Rockwall County line.

An autopsy confirmed that Kim had died with two gunshot wounds to the head, making it a homicide. Purdy noted Clark missing and was fully cooperative with the Collin County Sheriff's Department.

Suspicion was raised about her whereabouts and associations, but no arrests were made at this point.

Strained family relations ensued, with Kim's identical twin brother, Tim Clark, suing in a civil action for property protection and guardianship of the three boys.

Purdy eventually surrendered her parental rights, facilitating the adoption of the three boys by Tim and his wife, according to the Dallas News.

October 2006: The death of Robert Dwayne Murphy

But only a month later, the body of Kim Clark's killer, 24-year-old Robert Dwayne Murphy, who had moved into the Clark household to help with child care and later became Purdie's new boyfriend, was found dead inside a San Angelo motel room on October 16, 2006.

His death was determined to be a heroin overdose, but it was classified as inconclusive since there were no drug-related accessories were found at the crime location.

A letter allegedly sent to the San Angelo Police Department confirmed Murphy's implication in Kim's murder, although its validity has always been suspected.

Purdie Guerra Clark and Murphy were also suspects for Kim's murder at this point, but his death brought the three brothers into the custody of Tim Clark, thus closing one of their tumultuous periods, as reported by Oxygen.

2007–2008: New beginnings and relationship with Bud Phillips

By 2007, Purdie Guerra Clark had relocated to San Angelo, Texas, leaving the Collin County investigations behind. There, she met 60-year-old James Thomas "Bud" Phillips, a former drug trader who had served 14 years in prison before his release in the early 2000s.

Despite a nearly 30-year age gap, they began dating and lived together, viewing each other as spouses, though not legally married. Bud, seeking a quieter life, reconnected with his adult son, Michael.

The couple's relationship soured in late 2008, leading to a breakup. Purdie moved out but maintained occasional contact.

During this time, she faced no new legal issues, focusing on personal stability amid her past losses.

Bud's home became a symbol of his fresh start, hosting simple routines like shared meals, according to Oxygen.

February 16, 2009: The poisoning of Bud Phillips

On the afternoon of February 16, 2009, Purdie Guerra Clark paid a visit to see Bud Phillips at his residence in San Angelo because they were on and off after their numerous reconciliations.

She only stayed briefly and made a stop for ice cream together.

Later in the day, Bud collapsed and lost consciousness in his front yard; a concerned neighbor quickly dialed 911.

Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, and he was shortly declared dead. First accounts indicated a heart attack; however, son Michael fought for and won an autopsy to be performed.

Results revealed poisoning with a rare form of pesticide, strychnine, by toxicology tests to be the official cause of death.

In the trash was found a disturbed container of chocolate ice cream, which revealed deadly amounts of this poison, according to Oxygen.

March 2009: Arrest and immediate investigation

The autopsy findings prompted swift action. On February 17, Michael Phillips alerted the San Angelo Police from Bud's home, where Purdie arrived uninvited, attempting to claim the property despite lacking title. Authorities escorted her away.

By early March, a murder warrant was issued. Detectives located Purdie Guerra Clark on a Schleicher County ranch owned by her new boyfriend's family, where a strychnine bottle was found.

She fled during a traffic stop on March 23, crashing her vehicle and running on foot before capture.

Her car contained multiple IDs, a shotgun, phones, and Bud's driver's license.

Searches revealed her use of aliases and possible drug ties. She was jailed in Collin County, ending her evasion, as reported by Oxygen.

June 2011: Guilty plea and sentencing

On June 1, 2011, 34-year-old Purdie Guerra Clark pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Tom Green County Court. In exchange, she received a 40-year prison sentence, with parole eligibility in 2029 after serving half the term.

Prosecutors highlighted evidence linking her to the strychnine and a motive tied to financial disputes.

Her attorney called the plea a resolution avoiding a trial that could reference the 2006 deaths.

District Attorney's office noted Purdie as a suspect in Kim Clark and Robert Murphy's cases, but no additional charges followed.

The plea brought closure for Bud's family, though open investigations persisted. Clark entered the Texas prison system, beginning her long incarceration, as per the Dallas News.

2011–Present: ongoing mysteries and prison life

Since her sentencing, Purdie Guerra Clark has served time in a Texas facility, maintaining a low profile until the upcoming Snapped: Behind Bars episode.

The 2006 deaths of Kim Clark and Robert Murphy remain unsolved, with Purdie listed as a person of interest but uncharged due to insufficient evidence.

Civil matters from 2006 were resolved with the boys adopted by Tim Clark, who reported them thriving. No further legal actions against Purdie have emerged, though her case draws renewed attention through the media.

Eligible for parole in 2029, she has not commented publicly until now, where she addresses portrayals in prior coverage. The timeline underscores unresolved threads in a series of losses, according to Oxygen.

Watch Snapped: Behind Bars season 3, episode 8, releasing on 28 December, 2025 on Oxygen.