Jury Convicts Man of Killing Librarian

STAFF REPORT
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

Amber Wooton-Clark

The man who shot and killed a beloved Natomas librarian was convicted by a jury on Wednesday and could spend the rest of his life in prison.

On April 20 Ronald Seay was convicted by a jury of the first-degree murder of Amber Fawn Wooten Clark. Seay was also found guilty of using a firearm in commitment of a murder and lying in wait.

Clark, 41 at the time of her death, was the branch supervisor for the North Natomas Library.

“Nothing will bring Amber back to us, but for her family, friends, coworkers and the community that treasured her and all that she gave to our youth, to literacy, to disability advocacy and gender equity… these verdicts are about accountability,” Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby posted in a message on Facebook. “They represent an important chapter in this wretched journey.”

On December 11, 2018, Seay arrived at the library parking lot, parked his car with a direct view of the library exit and waited for Clark to get off work. When Clark left work, she exited the library and walked through the parking lot to her car.

As Clark walked past Seay’s car, he exited his vehicle and followed her. When Clark got into her car, Seay opened her driver side door, shot her 11 times with his 9mm semi-automatic pistol and left the scene. Clark succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

Sacramento police detectives quickly discovered that Seay had previously been served with a Notice of Trespass by Clark in her capacity as the branch supervisor. Clark had issued the notice because Seay repeatedly violated the library’s rules and code of conduct, became verbally aggressive and refused to leave the library. Seay had appealed the ban, and the appeal was denied.

Seay was arrested a day after the shooting on December 12, 2018. A search of his car found two 9mm semi-automatic pistols. It was later confirmed that all 11 shell cartridges found at the scene were fired from a 9mm semi-automatic pistol located in Seay’s car.

The jury deliberated for two hours and 15 minutes before rendering their verdict. Seay faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. His sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. on June 3.

“There are many chapters still to come,” Ashby also wrote. “But today I’m thinking of Amber and how grateful I am to have known her and to walk through some portion of this process with the people who loved her, chief among them, her incredible husband Kelly. Rest In Peace – Amber Fawn Wooten Clark.”

The Sacramento City Council approved the naming of a teen space in the North Natomas Library branch after Clark in May 2019. Since January 2020, the Sacramento Public Library has hosted “Superfest,” an annual film festival featuring the stories of those who have disabilities, in memory of Clark.

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