Husband arrested for alleged hit-and-run murder of his own wife

(NEW YORK) — The husband of a woman who was found dead by the side of a road last month has been arrested for the alleged hit-and-run murder of his wife, police say.

The body of Angela Marie McClelland, a 49-year-old woman from Fort Ripley, Minnesota — approximately 110 miles northwest of Minneapolis — was found in the early hours of Sunday, June 25, near the intersection of Legend Road and Killian Road in Fort Ripley after having “died as a result of being struck by a vehicle,” according to the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s investigators along with the State Patrol spent the past two weeks following up on leads before finally arresting her husband, 47-year-old Tony James McClelland, for her alleged vehicular homicide.

“On July 10, 2023, at 8:30pm Crow Wing County Deputies arrested the husband 47 year old Tony James McClelland of Fort Ripley for the woman found deceased along the roadway in Fort Ripley Township near the intersection of Legend Rd and Killian Rd,” said the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department announcing the break in the case. “The death occurred about two weeks ago and investigators have been working on the case putting the pieces together to the fatal events leading up to the death of the victim, 49 year old Angela Marie McClelland of Fort Ripley.”

Police did not disclose a potential motive for the alleged murder but did say that both the victim and the suspect lived together at the time of Angela McClelland’s death.

“Investigators from Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, BCA and the State Patrol began developing leads and worked throughout the last two weeks following up on interviews and gathering pieces of evidence to bring this arrest today,” authorities said.

Following his arrest, Tony McClelland was transported to the Crow Wing County Jail where he was booked on second degree murder and criminal vehicular homicide charges.

Police said more information about their investigation will be released in the coming days and the investigation is currently ongoing.