Clayton Sills had just turned 31 when he was shot and killed during his birthday weekend in Antioch, California. He had gone out to pick up a pizza for his family but never returned. His wife, Ariana Sills, spoke to KTVU about the devastating loss of her husband and the family’s search for justice.
“It should have been a celebration for the family,” Ariana said. “But two days after his birthday, the father of our two children was shot dead.”
On May 1, Clayton left his son’s baseball game, telling his family he planned to pick up a pizza. When he didn’t return after half an hour, his wife grew worried and tracked his location to a 7-Eleven on Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch. When they arrived, they found the store and gas station blocked off and surrounded by police.
Antioch police believe that the confrontation occurred inside Clayton’s Toyota Avalon, possibly outside a nearby restaurant or gas station. He ended up driving across Hillcrest and crashing at the 7-Eleven. Two men reportedly ran from his car, and no arrests have been made.
“It’s hard to grasp. It’s unreal. It feels like it’s – you’re gonna wake up from it,” said Clayton’s sister-in-law, Kimberly Nieve. “He was ultimately the best father,” said Ariana. “I mean, he always provided for those kids.”
The investigation is ongoing, and the family is struggling to make sense of their loss. “It really sucks that you, you know, destroyed a family,” Ariana said of those responsible. “It sucks for the kids. Nobody ever thinks of the kids.” A GoFundMe has been set up to help support the family during this difficult time.
