Durham Police Seek Suspect In Fatal Hit-And-Run

The young Durham woman, described by family members as compassionate and the clown of her family, planned to become a pediatric nurse and was working as a nurse's assistant at Durham Regional Hospital. She was engaged to be married this month.

But on the way home from an overnight shift at the hospital on Nov. 5, everything ended.

Durham police said Clayton who was the victim of a hit-and-run. The driver of a blue 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out of an alley just south of Monmouth Avenue and attempted to make a left turn onto Gregson Street when the driver struck Clayton's Ford Focus, causing it to hit a tree. The driver of the Cavalier fled the scene.

Clayton later died at Duke University Hospital.

"It's a big hole in my heart," said Clayton's mother, Mary, who said the loss is unbearable. "My life -- our lives will never be the same."

Witnesses told police the driver got out of his car and simply walked away.

"He T-boned her to one side and the tree got her to the other side," Mary Clayton said. "(He) had to have known she was hurt terribly bad."

Cpl. David Addison with the Durham Police Department said officers found evidence inside the car that identified 22-year-old Tyson Antonio Marrow as the driver.

Marrow, who investigators said was driving on a suspended license, faces a felony charge because he left Clayton without checking on her, "without offering any type of aid -- not even checking to see if she was alright," Addison said.

In the past month, police have searched the city and questioned Marrow's friends and family. They said he is known to hang out in the west end area of Durham.

Durham CrimeStoppers (

(919) 683-1200

) is offering a reward for anyone with information leading to Marrow's arrest.

Clayton's mother said she may even post fliers around the city with Marrow's picture.

"I just want to know why," Clayton said. "Why did he leave the scene?