Remembering Claire Schneider

 

A Young Woman With A Bright Future

Claire Schneider, the youngest sister of four girls, was a happy, carefree child. She grew into a smart, caring, socially conscious young woman and graduated from Thomas Worthington High School in the top 10% of her class. Claire had many passions that included volleyball, dancing, gymnastics and cheerleading. She received scholar athlete awards and coaches’ awards for both volleyball and gymnastics

In her spare time Claire was focused on making the world a better place. She volunteered with the Special Olympics and was a gymnastics coach for her peers. While many students were more concerned with popularity, Claire was concerned with helping those less fortunate and bringing out the best in all those around her.

After high school Claire attended The Ohio State University, completed training and certification as a nail technician, and worked part time while pursuing a dual major including a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Science in international studies. In December 2001 Claire was preparing to begin her final quarter prior to graduation from Ohio State and intended to pursue a career as a translator. Her last quarter was to be spent in a study abroad program in the Dominican Republic.

Everyone knew Claire as a talented young woman who was driven by her passions. They had no doubt she would go far and be very successful. Her family and friends described Claire as the type of daughter, sister and friend we all would hope to have in our lives.

Sadly Claire’s dreams and bright future would come to a tragic end when her kindness and desire to help others led Claire into the dark world of a controlling, abusive boyfriend who would eventually end Claire’s life and all her hopes and dreams.

A Concerned Family

Claire began dating Kevin Tolliver in late 1999. Although Tolliver he had some shortcomings Claire felt she could help change him for the better. It wouldn’t take long for Claire’s family to learn that Tolliver was possessive, territorial, insecure, controlling and jealous. The first time her family met Tolliver was at a Christmas Eve dinner and celebration at their home in December 1999. At dinner he was non-communicative and then had the audacity to fall asleep during a gift exchange. The entire family got a very bad vibe from Tolliver and were worried about Claire.

Tolliver fit the profile of a typical insecure abuser who portrayed himself far more successful then he actually was in real life. He fancied himself as better than his peers, a “player”, a suave, macho social sophisticate, and a ladies’ man who took pains to attempt to impress everyone he met with his intelligence, looks and achievements. Tolliver often showed up at Claire’s workplace randomly during the day and hung out while she worked to the point that management asked Claire to curtail it. He stole a handicapped parking permit and hung it from his vehicle mirror to steal handicapped parking from those who legitimately held permits. He also had failed to show and had been convicted in absentia of an assault case in South Padre Island, TX. In addition, Tolliver had failed at several businesses and had a bankruptcy filing on his record.

Claire’s family had two meetings with Claire to discuss their concerns about Tolliver and they suggested she distance herself from him. Despite her family’s pleas Claire remained adamant about continuing the relationship and ended up allowing Tolliver to move into her campus area apartment. Tolliver objected to Claire spending her last quarter at Ohio State University away from him in the Dominican Republic. He initially demanded that she not go and then suggested that he travel with her. Claire was not in favor of this but ultimately agreed to allow him to spend the last week of her study time there with her. There are no records of him ever preparing or making travel arrangements for this trip.

A Night Of Celebration Ends In Tragedy

On the evening of December 28, 2001 Claire and Tolliver had dinner to celebrate Claire’s upcoming final quarter at Ohio State and ended up at a night club in the downtown area. The pair were dancing together at first however later in the evening a witness said she saw Claire dancing without Tolliver and that Tolliver was “watching her with his arms across his chest”, and looking “kind of angry.” A worker at the night club observed Clair and Tolliver leave the night club and that they were speaking particularly loudly. While the conversation was noticeable it did not alarm the night club employee or the police officers standing with him.

Clair and Tolliver arrived home at approximately 12:36 A.M. and less than a half hour later a neighbor was awakened by a man screaming “No, No. Don’t don’t. Oh please. Please.” She then called 911 and reported she thought the screaming was coming from the apartment above her and she heard the couple fighting for about a half hour and it sounded like someone had fallen down. Claire and Tolliver actually lived below the neighbor so when a policeman arrived and checked the upstairs apartment he found no issues.

At 1:45 A.M. Tolliver’s ex-wife received a phone call from him. He was sobbing and told her if she ever loved him, she would come to the apartment immediately. Tolliver’s ex-wife arrived 10 minutes later along with her and Tolliver’s young daughter. She immediately saw blood smeared on the front door and found Tolliver in a blood-stained bathrobe with blood on his hands and feet. After seeing the gruesome scene Tolliver’s ex-wife said she was going to take their young daughter back to the car. Tolliver followed her and she asked him what happened. He replied that he was “really in trouble.” Tolliver was crying hysterically and his ex-wife thought he was having a breakdown. He said he was going to kill himself and wanted to see his daughter. The ex-wife called 911 and reported the what had happened and then drove to the other side of the parking lot fearing Tolliver would kill himself in front of his young daughter.

Minutes before police arrived one of Tolliver’s neighbors returned home. As he walked to his apartment, he saw Tolliver dressed in a bathrobe. A startled Tolliver ducked into an alcove outside the apartment. Seconds later Tolliver came out of hiding and asked the neighbor, “How’s it going?” The neighborhood responded, “How’s it going with you?” Tolliver stated, “Good.” The neighbor said Tolliver did not act upset and asked for no assistance.

Police responded and found Tolliver in a bathrobe covered in blood and talking on Claire’s cell phone. He was also holding a bloody dish towel. Tolliver told the officers, “she shot herself.” Tolliver was handcuffed immediately and put into the police cruiser.

Inside the apartment police found blood on the walls and floor, as well as an overturned floor lamp and potted plant on the ground. Claire was found lying face up on the bathroom floor on top of a blood saturated black nylon jacket with her arms partially inside the sleeves. On the bathroom vanity was a blood covered pistol, an envelope containing three dollars, and a note stating, “she did not know the gun was loaded. I loved her. Could not find phone”. In the sink police found two live shells, and the gun’s magazine clip containing 12 live shells. One bullet hole with several hairs attached was found in the bathroom door. The bullet that killed Claire was located behind the door. Two pens and a second semiautomatic weapon magazine clip containing live rounds was found under Claire’s body. Claire’s aunt also turned over to police a men’s white dress shirt and black pants with blood on them after she found the items in the laundry basket while the family was cleaning out Claire’s apartment.

Tolliver was not permitted to go into the bathroom at the police station so blood evidence could be collected. In police photos Tolliver had blood on his face, legs and feet however no blood was on his hands. Tolliver refused to waive his rights claiming he was not of sound mind because his girlfriend had just died.

Tolliver told police that Claire was saying “What do you want me to” when the gun fired. He said he turned around to see Claire falling to the ground. Tolliver claimed he could not find the wound to apply pressure.

An autopsy revealed that Claire died as a result of a gunshot wound that was fired from her lower left side and went through the back of her mouth. It was also noted that Claire was left-handed. The report stated that CPR may have been performed after the shooting. Deputy Coroner Keith Norton found numerous bruises and abrasions on Claire’s body including two on the front of her right leg, three on the inside of her right leg, one close to her ankle, and three on the outside of her upper left leg. He testified a bruise on the base of Claire’s thumb on the back of her hand was consistent with a defensive would although there was no way to tell if that was certain. He also found swelling and bruising on the left side of Claire’s face close to the eye, two narrow “scratch-like” scrapes on the right side of her chest, and bruising on the left side of her neck.

Tolliver was arrested and charged with the murder of Claire Schneider.

Strong Evidence Leads To A Murder Conviction

Prosecutor’s presented a wealth of powerful evidence refuting Tolliver’s claims that Claire shot herself.

A forensic expert testified that Tolliver’s shirt had blood spatter showing that he would have been at close range when Claire was shot and that it was unlikely she committed suicide or shot herself accidentally.

Evidence also showed that the gun was held against Claire’s lips, just outside her mouth. The location of a fresh bruise on Claire’s neck and the bullet hole in the bathroom door indicated Claire likely was held against the door when she was shot.

There were numerous transfer bloodstains on Claire’s body, including several digit patterns indicating that Claire’s body was repositioned. In addition, the pen used to write the note, which was clearly written after her death, was found underneath Claire’s body. Tolliver removed all fingerprint evidence by washing his hands before police arrived on the scene.

Tolliver also claimed he couldn’t find a phone to call for help yet Claire’s phone was in the apartment and Tolliver had two cell phones in his car. When Tolliver did find a phone, he chose to call his ex-wife seven times, a friend, Claire’s voicemail, and his own voicemail. Even after his ex-wife told him to call police he did not do so. The only explanation for these events is that Tolliver wanted to ensure Claire was dead before authorities found her.

Prosecutors also called a fellow inmate who claimed Tolliver confessed to him while in jail. He said Tolliver felt that he would be losing Claire when she traveled to the Dominican Republic. He said after shooting Claire that Tolliver said he “had to get rid of some evidence.” Tolliver said he shot Claire with a sock over his wrist, and a shirt, like a towel over the rest of his arm to keep the gun blast from going back. He also said Tolliver told him he had to move the body around to make it look like Claire killed herself and he had to get her blood on him to make it look like he was holding her. Tolliver told the inmate his defense strategy was to tell the jury the Claire committed suicide “and when they saw him on the stand and saw him cry and really look remorseful, then they would know that he didn’t kill him herself, his exact words.”

Tolliver’s defense team continued to claim shot herself. Tolliver did to take the stand in his own defense.

Based on the overwhelming evidence it took a jury three days to find Tolliver guilty of murder. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge John A. Connor sentenced Tolliver to 15 years to life in prison for the murder plus an additional three years for using a gun to commit the crime. Tolliver has appealed his conviction several times and each time the courts rejected his claims and upheld the murder conviction.