WICHITA, Kan. KSNW — Jonathan Clayton, the interim city clerk of Peabody who recently went missing, is presumed dead after his truck was found crashed into a tree in rural Harvey County. Authorities believe the body found inside the vehicle is his, though confirmation is still pending from the coroner. Clayton’s family has already released an obituary.
Before his disappearance, Clayton, a former employee of the Kansas Department of Commerce, sent an email on August 8—five days after he was last seen—accusing state officials of misconduct. The email, which appeared to be scheduled to send after his death or incapacitation, claimed that Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland manipulated grant scores for the Build A Stronger Economy (BASE) program. Clayton alleged that this was done in secret deals with Senate President Ty Masterson and former House Speaker Ron Ryckman, resulting in excessive funds being directed to Butler and Johnson counties.
On Thursday, state officials, including the governor, responded to these allegations. The Kansas Department of Commerce KDC denied the accusations, calling them categorically false. Governor Laura Kelly defended Toland, praising his ethical conduct and efforts to increase transparency within the department. Masterson’s spokesperson also denied any wrongdoing, stating that legislative leaders had no role in the scoring of BASE projects.
Clayton’s past criminal record has also come to light. He was convicted of credit card fraud in Pennsylvania in 2018, a fact the KDC was unaware of when they hired him in 2020. The department explained that Kansas law doesn’t allow for national-level criminal background checks for the position Clayton held, which led to his hiring despite his past conviction.
The email sent after Clayton’s disappearance also claimed that he was forced to resign from his position after refusing to manipulate numbers related to the BASE grant process. In response, the KDC stated that they have found no evidence of misconduct but have hired an independent contractor to review all ARPA grants as a precaution.
Authorities are investigating Clayton’s apparent death and his involvement with various community organizations, which may have been victims of fraud. Governor Kelly has announced plans to pursue changes to background check laws in the next legislative session.