Dateline Season 22 Episode 18 In the Dead of Night (2014)

In the Dateline season 22 episode 18, titled "In the Dead of Night," viewers are taken on a gripping journey through the murder investigation of a young mother in a small town in upstate New York. It all began on a summer night in 2014 when 30-year-old Kelley Clayton was brutally attacked and killed in her home while her two young children were sleeping in the next room.

As investigators arrived at the scene, they found Kelley's body covered in blood with a Pachmayr handgun lying next to her. Her husband, Thomas Clayton, told police that he had been away on a business trip and returned home to find his wife dead. Thomas, a successful businessman and former pro hockey player, quickly became the prime suspect in his wife's murder.

As the episode unfolds, viewers are taken through the twists and turns of the investigation, including the discovery of a hidden basement room in the Clayton home that held potential evidence. The case is further complicated by the fact that Thomas had allegedly been having an affair and had a motive for wanting his wife dead in order to collect on her $500,000 life insurance policy.

Throughout the episode, viewers watch as police conduct interviews with friends and family members, including Thomas himself, as they try to piece together what happened on the night of Kelley's murder. The investigation takes on a frenzied intensity as police work to collect enough evidence to make an arrest.

Along the way, viewers are also introduced to the victim's family, who struggle to come to grips with the tragedy that has occurred. Kelley's parents and siblings speak about her life, her passions, and her love for her children. They mourn her loss and try to make sense of what has happened.

As the investigation progresses, the evidence against Thomas mounts, and police arrest him for murder. The trial that follows is a high-profile affair, with both the prosecution and defense making their cases in front of a rapt audience. Viewers watch as witnesses are called to the stand, and evidence is presented to try and establish the truth of what happened on that fateful night.

"In the Dead of Night" is a gripping and emotional episode of Dateline that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats right up until the end. As the investigation unfolds, viewers are left wondering if justice will be served, and if the truth will ever be fully revealed.