Police: Utah man in Joker make-up said he planned to stab resident to death

VERNAL, Utah — A Utah man was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide after he was found with a stolen knife and told police he planned to stab a person to death and would kill anyone that got in his way.

Jonathan Tyler Clark, 24, of Vernal, Utah was arrested in face paint after police were called about a man trying to break into an apartment while wearing makeup resembling The Joker from Batman movies, according to Vernal Police Department.

Police discovered Clark a few blocks away from the attempted break in on West Main Street in Vernal, in the area of Union Middle School.

“I arrived and found an individual with white face paint, green face paint near the top of his face and in his hair, and red face paint in the form of a smile, similar to the Joker,” police wrote in the probable cause documents for Utah’s Eighth Circuit Court in Uintah County. While talking with police, Clark told officers he had a folding pocket knife with the blade open in his pocket. Police located the knife and removed it from him.

Police said Clark was speaking slowly and when asked if he was using drugs he said he had used cough medicine and meth and rated himself a 9 on a 1 to 10 scale of intoxication. Police said in that state he was a danger to himself and others and was taken into custody. Clark allegedly told police he shoplifted the knife and paint from a local Walmart earlier in the evening.

After his arrest, police spoke with Clark again who claimed he had a previous confrontation with the resident of the home he was trying to enter after they had a confrontation. The resident accused Clark of inappropriate behavior and Clark then planned vengeance, police said.

“Jonathan told officers he had planned to kill one of the residents of the home due to a prior argument,” Vernal PD said on its Facebook page.

Clark reportedly told police he planned to stab the person to death with the stolen knife.

“Jonathan took a substantial step in carrying out this act by going to the victim’s house and trying to break in through the windows. After Jonathan was not able to get into the windows he waited on the front porch,” police stated in the court documents. He left when someone with a flashlight confronted him, police said.

“Jonathan said he was going to kill anyone who got in his way of trying to kill the victim tonight,” documents stated. He also reportedly told police that if he got out of jail he would try to kill the victim the following day.

Clark was booked into the Uintah County Jail on suspicion of attempted homicide, unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon, intoxication and criminal trespass. Police said the investigation is ongoing to determine if there are any additional charges.

Clark is being held without bail.