In May of 2016, a woman walked into the York County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina to report something strange. She told deputies she’d been struggling to load a crossbow downstairs, carried it up to the bedroom where her husband was sleeping, and it had “accidentally” gone off — striking him in the back of the head.
Her husband, millionaire retiree Steven Clayton, backed up her story. He told police he didn’t believe his wife had tried to kill him. No charges were filed. The couple moved on.
Two years later, Steven Clayton was dead — and the truth behind that “accident” would turn out to be a lot more complicated than anyone in that 2016 police report could have guessed.
A Self-Made Man and a Quiet Nurse
Steven “Steve” Clayton was born in Miami Beach in 1954, the son of Raul Clayton, and grew up in Hialeah and Miami Springs. He worked his way through Florida State University as a construction laborer, became a Certified Public Accountant, and in the 1980s founded Physical Therapy Resources — a company that grew into a national chain with branches across the country. He sold his interest and retired at 40 years old.
Retirement didn’t slow him down. Friends and family describe a man who threw lavish parties, wrote poetry, collected fine art, and became an avid gardener known for importing exotic plants into his elaborately landscaped Fort Lauderdale home. He coached wrestling at multiple schools and mentored young people for decades, funding scholarships that friends say changed the trajectories of people who weren’t even related to him. By every account, he was the kind of person who was equally comfortable with groundskeepers as he was with CEOs.
He’d also been married six times before he met Lana Sue, a VA nurse in Charlotte, North Carolina, online. Friends described Lana as reserved — “a wallflower,” in the words of one — a striking contrast to Steve’s larger-than-life personality. They married in 2013 and settled into a lakefront estate on Lake Wylie that Steve had rebuilt, almost brick for brick, as a replica of George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
The Crossbow
Three years into the marriage came the 2016 crossbow incident. At the time, both Lana and Steve told police it was an accident — Lana said she’d brought the weapon upstairs, and it had discharged unexpectedly while Steve slept nearby. Steve corroborated the story and even offered police an alternate explanation of his own: that he sometimes sleepwalked and had trouble sleeping.
No charges were filed. But in that same 2016 police report, Lana told deputies something that would matter a great deal later — that Steve could be emotionally volatile, with mood swings that shifted “from nice to cruel.” She was explicit, in her own words, that he had never hit her.
That would not remain the final word on either the crossbow or the abuse question. Years later, in a taped interview for CBS’s 48 Hours, Lana offered a third account of the crossbow incident — this time describing it as self-defense, saying Steve had been “coming at” her and that she’d fired while trying to protect herself. Steve’s nephews, Nick French and Kris Phagan, told CBS they didn’t hear this version until after Steve’s death — and when asked directly whether they believed the 2016 shooting had been an attempt on Steve’s life, both said, unequivocally, yes. In that same interview, though, both men also pushed back hard on Lana’s abuse claims, saying they’d never seen or heard of any evidence of it during the marriage.
We’re not going to pretend to resolve that contradiction here. Multiple accounts, years apart, from people with every reason to have their own version of the truth — that’s simply where the record stands.
Three Days in July
On July 19, 2018, Lana began putting tetrahydrozoline — the active decongestant in Visine eye drops — into Steve’s drinking water. Ingested rather than applied to the eyes, the chemical acts as a vasoconstrictor throughout the entire body, crashing blood pressure and heart rate. In sufficient doses, it’s lethal.
Over the next three days, Steve reportedly grew increasingly ill — dizzy, unsteady, essentially bedridden, and by his wife’s account, unwilling to see a doctor. On July 21, Lana came inside after doing yard work and found her husband dead at the bottom of their staircase. She told first responders he’d fallen. Given his recent bout of vertigo, the explanation initially held: the working theory was a fall, possibly triggered by a heart attack.
Steve’s funeral was held two weeks later in the backyard of the home he loved. Lana planned to have him cremated. It was Steve’s family — particularly his sister and a nephew who was himself a police officer — who pushed back, uneasy enough about the circumstances to insist on an autopsy before cremation could proceed.
The Chemical Nobody Was Looking For
An initial autopsy pointed to heart disease, consistent with the fall theory. But at the family’s request, a full toxicology screening was also ordered — and that took weeks, in part because tetrahydrozoline isn’t a substance labs routinely test for. It was only caught because Steve’s family pushed for additional testing through a private lab. As the prosecutor in the case would later put it plainly in court: “She almost got away with it.”
Even York County Coroner Sabrina Gast had never encountered the chemical before. “I was like, what is tetrahydrozoline?” she later told CBS. “I had to look up what tetrahydrozoline was.”
By late August 2018 — roughly five weeks after Steve’s death — the case had become a homicide investigation. Brought in for questioning, Lana initially told detectives Steve had been putting the eye drops in his own coffee, a claim investigators found medically implausible. Eventually, she admitted the truth: “I did put Visine in his water.” She maintained, then and throughout the case, that she’d never intended to kill him — only to make him uncomfortable, telling investigators a coworker had once mentioned the trick could cause diarrhea and misery, nothing more.
The Night Before the Arrest
After her confession, investigators told Lana they’d secured a warrant to search her home and phone. The following night, neighbors say they last saw her around 9:30 p.m., asking them to look after the couple’s dogs. The next morning, a neighbor discovered handwritten notes on the back deck and called authorities. Police found Lana unconscious in an upstairs bedroom, the house filled with gas fumes. She survived and was hospitalized.
Less than 24 hours later, on August 31, 2018, Lana Sue Clayton was arrested and charged with murder and unlawful malicious tampering with food.
A Case the World Was Watching
Within days of the arrest, what had been a local South Carolina story became international news — covered by Inside Edition, Good Morning America, the Washington Post, and even the BBC. Friends of Steve’s speculated the fascination came down to the method itself: not some exotic, hard-to-obtain poison, but a chemical sitting in almost every household bathroom in America.
The renewed attention also brought the 2016 crossbow incident back under formal review, though it was never charged as a separate crime — it became context rather than a standalone case.
Legal proceedings surfaced their own strange subplot: despite being accused of killing her husband for his fortune, Lana was found to have no access to any of the couple’s assets, all of which were solely in Steve’s name. A probate judge removed her as personal representative of the estate roughly five weeks after Steve’s death, appointing a family member instead. Court filings described her as having “no assets… no job or way to make a living.”
“The Strangest Case on the Bench”
On January 16, 2020, Lana pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and tampering with food or drugs — a significant reduction from the original murder charge. Prosecutors later explained the plea deal came down, in part, to the evidentiary challenge of the poison itself: a substance not routinely tested for, which could have complicated proving premeditated murder at trial.
The sentencing hearing stretched over four hours and became a battle between two competing narratives. Lana’s defense attorneys described a woman shaped by trauma — sexually abused as a child, and later, they said, raped by three servicemen while serving in the U.S. Air Force, neither incident ever reported at the time. They argued the marriage itself had turned physically abusive, alleging Steve had hit, kicked, and choked her throughout their five years together — a claim that stood in direct contrast to Lana’s own 2016 statement to police that he’d never hit her.
Steve’s family was unmoved. His sister told the court she was “sickened to be in the same room with the monster who killed my brother.” His goddaughter, through tears, warned the judge: “Lana has fooled a lot of people. Please don’t let her fool you.”
Lana apologized in court, maintaining she’d never meant to kill him. Judge Paul Burch wasn’t fully persuaded, pointing out that Steve had suffered for three days and that his cellphone had allegedly been hidden from him, preventing any chance he could call for help himself. “What a tangled web we weave,” Burch told her. “Ms. Clayton, you sure have tangled this one up.” He called it the strangest case of his career on the bench, sentencing her to 25 years in prison — just shy of the 50-year maximum prosecutors had requested.
Bringing Him Home
There’s one detail that didn’t make many of the national headlines: Steve wasn’t actually laid to rest until a full year after his death, in July 2019 — six months before Lana’s sentencing. His family held a small service immediately after he died, but deliberately waited to hold his real memorial and burial until they could do it, in the words of the family’s funeral coordinator, “without the suspect, if you will, involved.”
Steve was brought home to Fort Lauderdale and buried at Evergreen Cemetery alongside his father. True to who he was, the service wasn’t somber — light colors and summer attire were encouraged, and the atmosphere was described by one attendee as closer to a cocktail party than a funeral. Among the attendees were dozens of people in their twenties and thirties who credited Steve’s scholarships and mentorship with changing the course of their lives.
By the time Lana’s sentencing made headlines in January 2020, hers wasn’t even the only eye drop poisoning case in the news. A separate case was already unfolding in nearby Rowan County, North Carolina. And within weeks of Lana’s arrest first making national headlines back in 2018, investigators believe another case — one they suspect was directly inspired by what happened to Steve Clayton — had already begun playing out less than an hour away.
That case is even harder to untangle. We’ll be covering it next week.
Crime Clueless is a true crime podcast with new episodes every week! If you want to listen to this episode of Crime Clueless, you can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Want to keep going? Here are some cases to explore if you found the Steve and Lana Clayton story intriguing.
1. Stacey Castor — “The Black Widow of New York”
A wife who poisoned more than one husband, years apart, while maintaining the image of a devoted spouse the entire time. If you were struck by how long Lana went undetected, this is the case that shows it’s not a one-off pattern. Read more here or listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
2. Harold & Toni Henthorn — “Til Death (or a Suspicious Fall) Do Us Part”
Like the Clayton crossbow incident, this case has an earlier “accident” that got waved away before the fatal one. For any listeners who found themselves saying “wait, this happened before?” Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you get your podcasts.
3. Robert Marshall — “The Greed, Betrayal, and Ultimate Downfall of Robert Marshall”
Insurance money, a mistress waiting in the wings, and a husband willing to have his wife killed rather than divorce her — this one has almost the exact same motive triangle as both Clayton, just executed differently. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.
4. The Tylenol Murders
For listeners who found themselves side-eyeing their own medicine cabinet after this episode — this is the case that first made America afraid of the everyday products sitting in every household, and permanently changed how over-the-counter medication is packaged. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode starting with part of this two parter on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
5. Betsy Faria — “The Perfect Frame Job—Until It Wasn’t”
If Lana’s attempt to frame Steve stuck with you, this case digs into a real, prosecuted wrongful accusation — an insurance-motivated murder where the wrong person very nearly took the fall for it. Read about this case here, or listen to this episode on Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have thoughts on this story or other cases you’d like to see highlighted? Share them with us in the comments or connect with us on social media. Together, we can ensure that stories like this one are never forgotten.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media, share your thoughts, and let us know what you’d like to hear about in future episodes. If you have any true crime stories of your own, send them our way crimeclueless@gmail.com to be featured on a future episode! And as always, remember: refuse to be clueless, careless, or caught off guard. Not today, murderers.
See you in the next episode of Crime Clueless!
Resources:
Primary Sources (Newspapers.com Clippings)
Dys, A. (2018, July 28). Steven Clayton [Obituary]. The Herald, p. A4.
Dys, A. (2018, August 24). Notice to creditors of estates: Estate of Steven D. Clayton. The Herald, p. B7.
Dys, A. (2018, September 1). Woman charged with murder in husband’s poisoning death. The Charlotte Observer, p. A11.
Dys, A. (2018, September 5). York County wife accused of poisoning husband shot him with crossbow in 2016. The Herald, pp. A1, A5.
Dys, A. (2018, September 5). Poison [continued from p. A1]. The Herald, p. A6.
Dys, A. (2018, September 6). Police: Wife charged in husband’s death tried suicide. The Herald, p. A1.
Smoot, H. (2018, September 6). York Co. poisoning case captures national attention. The Herald, p. A1.
Dys, A. (2018, September 6). Wife [continued from p. A1]. The Herald, p. A5.
Dys, A. (2018, September 12). ’16 incident gets a new review. The Herald, p. A5.
Dys, A. (2018, October 5). Wife charged in killing lived in $1.2M estate, gets free aid. The Herald, pp. A3–A4.
Associated Press. (2020, January 18). Wife admits poisoning man with eye drops. Press Enterprise, p. A17.
Associated Press. (2020, January 19). Woman pleads guilty to poisoning husband. The Times and Democrat, p. A4.
Dys, A. (2020, January 22). Woman pleads guilty in husband’s death by Visine poisoning. The Herald, pp. A1, A4.
Dys, A. (2021, March 12). Case of York County nurse who poisoned husband with eye drops on CBS 48 Hours. The Herald, p. A3.
Hagwood, R. S. (2019, July 22). Philanthropist laid to rest, a year after his death. South Florida Sun Sentinel, pp. B1–B2.
Broadcast & Streaming Sources
CBS News. (2023, November 16). Lana Clayton, who fatally poisoned husband Steve with eye drops: “I just wanted him to suffer” [48 Hours episode summary]. Lana Clayton, who fatally poisoned husband Steve with eye drops: “I just wanted him to suffer” – CBS News
Oxygen. (n.d.). Accident, Suicide or Murder, Season 4, Episode 13: “Drop by Drop” [Documentary television series episode].
Investigation Discovery. (2020, December). American Monster: “Everyone’s Favorite Uncle” [Documentary television series episode].
Digital News Sources
Associated Press (as republished in ABC News). (2020, January 17). Woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for poisoning husband’s drinking water with eye drops. ABC News. Woman sentenced to 25 years in prison for poisoning husband’s drinking water with eye drops – ABC News
Associated Press (as republished in NBC News). (2020, January 17). South Carolina wife gets 25 years for killing husband with eye drops. NBC News. South Carolina wife gets 25 years for killing husband with eye drops
Boston 25 News Staff. (2020, January 17). Woman who poisoned husband with eye drops sentenced to 25 years in prison. Boston 25 News. Woman who poisoned husband with eye drops sentenced to 25 years in prison
Brennan, D. (2018, September 2). Woman poisoned husband by putting eye drops in his water, police say. Newsweek. Woman Poisoned Husband By Putting Eye Drops in His Water, Police Say – Newsweek
Fox News Staff. (2018, September 1). VA Dept. nurse admits poisoning husband with eye drops over three days, faces murder rap. Fox News. VA Dept. nurse admits poisoning husband with eye drops over three days, faces murder rap
Fox News Staff. (2018, September 6). South Carolina woman accused of killing husband with eye drops shot him with crossbow in 2016, records show. Fox News. South Carolina woman accused of killing husband with eye drops shot him with crossbow in 2016, records show | Fox News
Gearty, R. (2020, January 17). South Carolina woman pleads guilty to poisoning husband with eye drops. Fox News. South Carolina woman pleads guilty to poisoning husband with eye drops | Fox News
Inside Edition Staff. (2018, September 6). Wife accused of poisoning husband with eye drops shot him with crossbow in 2016: Officials. Inside Edition. Wife Accused of Poisoning Husband With Eye Drops Shot Him With Crossbow in 2016: Officials | Inside Edition
Inside Edition Staff. (2021, March 12). ’48 Hours’ examines eye drop killing of millionaire. Inside Edition. ’48 Hours’ Examines Murder of Steve Clayton, Millionaire Husband Poisoned With Eye Drops by Wife Lana
Newsweek Staff. (2018, September 6). Woman shot husband with crossbow, then killed him with eye drops two years later. Newsweek. Woman Who Police Say Killed Husband With Eye Drops Had Shot Him With a Crossbow Before – Newsweek
Oxygen Staff. (2024, July 18). How Lana Clayton poisoned husband Steve Clayton with eye drops. Oxygen. How Lana Clayton Poisoned Husband Steve Clayton With Eye Drops
Oxygen Staff. (2024, January 10). Lana Clayton accused of killing husband Stephen Clayton with eye drops. Oxygen. Woman Accused of Killing Her Husband Using Eye Drops | Oxygen
Oxygen Staff. (2024, January 10). Lana Clayton once shot poisoned husband Steven Clayton with crossbow, records show. Oxygen. Woman Who Allegedly Poisoned Husband With Eyedrops Shot Him With Crossbow In 2016, Records Show | Oxygen
Staff Writer. (2018, September 6). Wife accused of poisoning husband with eye drops shot him with crossbow in 2016, police say. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Wife accused of poisoning husband with eye drops shot him with crossbow in 2016, police say
Staff Writer. (2020, November 2). Woman sentenced to 25 years after admitting to poisoning husband with eye-drops. International Business Times. Woman sentenced to 25 years after admitting to poisoning husband with eye-drops
TheCinemaholic Staff. (2024, April 19). Steve Clayton: How did he die? Who killed him? The Cinemaholic. Steve Clayton: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?
TheCinemaholic Staff. (2023, July 29). Lana Clayton now: Where is Steven Clayton’s killer today? Update. The Cinemaholic. Lana Clayton: Where is Steven Clayton’s Killer Now?
Public Records & Memorial Sources
Find a Grave. (n.d.). Steven DelValle Clayton (1954–2018) [Memorial page]. Steven DelValle Clayton (1954-2018) – Find a Grave Memorial
Legacy.com. (2018, July 28). Steven Clayton obituary. The Herald. Steven Clayton Obituary (2018) – Lake Wylie, SC – The Herald
York County Probate Court. (2018). Estate of Steven D. Clayton (Case No. 2018ES4601004) [Public probate record].
