1 00:00:01,039 --> 00:00:03,453 [MUSIC PLAYING] 2 00:00:11,763 --> 00:00:13,522 The evil clowns you see in the movies, 3 00:00:13,556 --> 00:00:15,832 well, it came to life in this case. 4 00:00:18,936 --> 00:00:21,867 When your mom was growing up, was she fascinated with clowns? 5 00:00:21,901 --> 00:00:22,729 She was. 6 00:00:22,763 --> 00:00:24,556 She even painted pictures of them. 7 00:00:24,591 --> 00:00:27,005 [MUSIC PLAYING] 8 00:00:28,936 --> 00:00:32,005 My mother, Marlene Warren, was a beautiful person. 9 00:00:32,039 --> 00:00:34,073 She was loving, caring, kind. 10 00:00:34,108 --> 00:00:35,901 [MUSIC PLAYING] 11 00:00:38,591 --> 00:00:42,177 On May 26 1990, a woman answered her door 12 00:00:42,211 --> 00:00:45,556 in front of her 21-year-old son and saw a clown 13 00:00:45,591 --> 00:00:48,246 at the door handing her balloons and flowers. 14 00:00:51,694 --> 00:00:54,729 That was the worst day of my life. 15 00:00:54,763 --> 00:00:56,177 We were eating breakfast. 16 00:00:56,211 --> 00:00:59,763 We saw the colors of the reflections through the glass. 17 00:00:59,798 --> 00:01:02,073 It looked like a clown costume. 18 00:01:02,108 --> 00:01:07,211 My mother opened the door and I heard, how pretty. 19 00:01:07,246 --> 00:01:08,556 And I heard a bang. 20 00:01:11,556 --> 00:01:17,211 I saw her fall, and I ran toward her 21 00:01:17,246 --> 00:01:20,108 as the clown was walking away, and I 22 00:01:20,142 --> 00:01:23,901 saw that she'd been shot in the face. 23 00:01:23,936 --> 00:01:26,798 At that moment, I felt my heart and my soul 24 00:01:26,832 --> 00:01:27,970 just rip out of my body. 25 00:01:30,694 --> 00:01:33,728 What did you see on the clown's face? 26 00:01:33,763 --> 00:01:37,936 Well, it was a white face, nose, orangish-red hair, 27 00:01:37,970 --> 00:01:40,970 and it was just a clown suit. 28 00:01:41,005 --> 00:01:43,349 What does the clown do? 29 00:01:43,383 --> 00:01:47,901 Calmly walks right back to the car like nothing happened. 30 00:01:47,936 --> 00:01:49,901 A person disguised as a clown walked up 31 00:01:49,936 --> 00:01:52,073 to Marlene Warren's Aero Club home in Wellington 32 00:01:52,108 --> 00:01:54,487 and shot her in the mouth. 33 00:01:54,522 --> 00:01:56,522 I was working as a prosecutor here 34 00:01:56,556 --> 00:01:58,246 in this office when it happened. 35 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,108 And it was big news. 36 00:02:00,142 --> 00:02:02,073 Meanwhile at her home, investigators 37 00:02:02,108 --> 00:02:04,453 gather evidence searching for clues. 38 00:02:04,487 --> 00:02:09,073 Killing with a great costume to conceal one's identity. 39 00:02:09,108 --> 00:02:11,660 And anybody passing by would probably 40 00:02:11,694 --> 00:02:13,694 say, oh, isn't that nice? 41 00:02:13,729 --> 00:02:15,660 Somebody's getting flowers. 42 00:02:15,694 --> 00:02:18,798 It wouldn't be suspicious, and it would certainly 43 00:02:18,832 --> 00:02:23,591 make for the perfect crime. 44 00:02:23,625 --> 00:02:26,729 Marlene Warren was someone without any known enemies, 45 00:02:26,763 --> 00:02:30,246 someone who cared deeply about her family. 46 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,591 And they lived in a home in a pretty secluded part 47 00:02:33,625 --> 00:02:36,418 of Palm Beach County. 48 00:02:36,453 --> 00:02:40,039 Michael Warren was married to Marlene Warren. 49 00:02:40,072 --> 00:02:44,591 Michael was a local businessman in the car business. 50 00:02:44,625 --> 00:02:47,935 The Warren's marriage seemed to be an ideal marriage 51 00:02:47,970 --> 00:02:50,763 but for the people on the inside that knew better, 52 00:02:50,798 --> 00:02:54,763 Marlene was expressing issues with Michael Warren. 53 00:02:54,798 --> 00:02:57,453 The people closest to Michael Warren that worked with him 54 00:02:57,487 --> 00:03:00,315 knew there was something wrong because they were observing 55 00:03:00,349 --> 00:03:02,798 Michael Warren's interactions with a woman 56 00:03:02,832 --> 00:03:05,280 by the name of Sheila Keen. 57 00:03:05,315 --> 00:03:08,694 And the rumors was what about Sheila and Mike? 58 00:03:08,729 --> 00:03:11,832 Well, it was more than a rumor that Sheila Keen and Michael 59 00:03:11,867 --> 00:03:13,246 Warren were having an affair. 60 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,039 It was not hidden from any of the employees. 61 00:03:16,073 --> 00:03:18,798 In the hours after the murder of Marlene Warren, 62 00:03:18,832 --> 00:03:22,453 the suspects became clear, it was Sheila Keen 63 00:03:22,487 --> 00:03:23,694 and was Michael Warren. 64 00:03:23,729 --> 00:03:26,763 But Michael Warren had an alibi. 65 00:03:26,798 --> 00:03:29,039 Michael and Sheila thought that they 66 00:03:29,073 --> 00:03:32,867 could get away with anything. 67 00:03:32,901 --> 00:03:40,039 It took over 30 years to make sense of it all. 68 00:03:40,072 --> 00:03:42,556 [MUSIC PLAYING] 69 00:04:25,694 --> 00:04:28,211 This house was the scene of a bizarre murder. 70 00:04:28,246 --> 00:04:32,832 That shooter, a clown, carrying flowers and balloons. 71 00:04:32,867 --> 00:04:35,660 It's easy to see why this case has so much interest. 72 00:04:35,694 --> 00:04:38,280 Who isn't afraid of a killer clown? 73 00:04:38,315 --> 00:04:41,177 The 1990 murder of Marlene Warren 74 00:04:41,211 --> 00:04:44,177 shot by someone dressed as a clown haunted 75 00:04:44,211 --> 00:04:47,936 not just the public but the Palm Beach County State Attorney's 76 00:04:47,970 --> 00:04:49,108 Office. 77 00:04:49,142 --> 00:04:53,936 Despite identifying two suspects, the case for decades 78 00:04:53,970 --> 00:04:55,487 went unsolved. 79 00:04:55,522 --> 00:04:58,625 Dave Aronberg is the current state attorney. 80 00:04:58,660 --> 00:05:00,108 This was an assassination. 81 00:05:00,142 --> 00:05:02,694 This was not a random act of violence. 82 00:05:02,729 --> 00:05:05,694 This was not a robbery. 83 00:05:05,729 --> 00:05:10,970 The unknowingness of this heinous crime, the fear, 84 00:05:11,005 --> 00:05:13,039 it was hell. 85 00:05:13,073 --> 00:05:16,729 Joe Ahrens was 21 living at home with his stepfather, 86 00:05:16,763 --> 00:05:21,039 Mike, and his mother, Marlene, when she was murdered. 87 00:05:21,073 --> 00:05:23,039 She was a good mother. 88 00:05:23,073 --> 00:05:26,625 Everything she did, she took pride in. 89 00:05:26,660 --> 00:05:31,867 The morning of May 26, 1990 had started as a cheerful one. 90 00:05:31,901 --> 00:05:34,591 Joe, recuperating from a broken leg, 91 00:05:34,625 --> 00:05:37,246 was having breakfast at home with his mom 92 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,832 and three friends when they saw a clown approaching carrying 93 00:05:41,867 --> 00:05:44,108 balloons and flowers. 94 00:05:44,142 --> 00:05:46,936 And we kind of figured I had to cast on, 95 00:05:46,970 --> 00:05:50,936 somebody was sending to heal and for gesture. 96 00:05:50,970 --> 00:05:54,832 This is like oh, what a delightful gift to cheer you up 97 00:05:54,867 --> 00:05:55,798 with your broken leg. 98 00:05:55,832 --> 00:05:57,522 Right. 99 00:05:57,556 --> 00:06:01,349 My mother opened the door and then we heard a bang 100 00:06:01,384 --> 00:06:02,970 and she fell. 101 00:06:03,005 --> 00:06:06,039 At that point, we knew something was wrong. 102 00:06:06,073 --> 00:06:08,073 My mother was struggling to breathe. 103 00:06:08,108 --> 00:06:11,798 And then I jumped to the phone and called 911 right away. 104 00:06:11,832 --> 00:06:15,625 As the clown slowly and silently walked to a car, 105 00:06:15,660 --> 00:06:17,798 Joe and some of his friends tried 106 00:06:17,832 --> 00:06:21,694 to get a closer look at anything that might help describe 107 00:06:21,729 --> 00:06:23,970 the disguised attacker. 108 00:06:24,005 --> 00:06:26,039 The only thing that didn't have any color on it 109 00:06:26,073 --> 00:06:29,936 was the shoes that were solid black and the white gloves. 110 00:06:29,970 --> 00:06:33,660 And did you notice anything about the clown's eyes? 111 00:06:33,694 --> 00:06:34,832 I did. 112 00:06:34,867 --> 00:06:38,315 That's the most thing I saw was the big, brown eyes. 113 00:06:38,349 --> 00:06:39,901 And the clown gets in the car. 114 00:06:39,936 --> 00:06:41,142 What kind of car was it? 115 00:06:41,177 --> 00:06:43,556 It was a white LeBaron. 116 00:06:43,591 --> 00:06:45,522 And does the car peel off? 117 00:06:45,556 --> 00:06:46,660 No. 118 00:06:46,694 --> 00:06:49,694 It just goes into gear and drives off like nothing 119 00:06:49,729 --> 00:06:51,591 happened. 120 00:06:51,625 --> 00:06:54,970 While some of Joe's friends remained at his house waiting 121 00:06:55,005 --> 00:06:58,142 for EMS, Joe got into Marlene's car 122 00:06:58,177 --> 00:07:00,729 and tried to chase down the clown, 123 00:07:00,763 --> 00:07:02,522 but he couldn't catch up. 124 00:07:02,556 --> 00:07:06,798 He is seen here back home afterwards where TV News 125 00:07:06,832 --> 00:07:08,763 crews were on the scene. 126 00:07:08,798 --> 00:07:11,798 Meanwhile, with the clowns balloons and flowers 127 00:07:11,832 --> 00:07:16,763 left behind, Marlene was rushed to the hospital barely alive 128 00:07:16,798 --> 00:07:19,625 where she was put on life support. 129 00:07:19,660 --> 00:07:21,970 I kept telling her I love her and I don't want her to go 130 00:07:22,005 --> 00:07:23,384 and please, don't leave me. 131 00:07:23,418 --> 00:07:26,625 Two days later with no hope of a recovery, 132 00:07:26,660 --> 00:07:31,039 life support was removed and Marlene died. 133 00:07:31,073 --> 00:07:32,763 I knew my life was going to change, 134 00:07:32,798 --> 00:07:35,694 and I knew it was going to become hell because she 135 00:07:35,729 --> 00:07:37,211 wasn't here to help me. 136 00:07:37,246 --> 00:07:40,349 A top clue the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office had 137 00:07:40,384 --> 00:07:42,901 was Joe's description of the clown. 138 00:07:42,936 --> 00:07:47,763 About 6' 1", tall, skinny, with orange hair, a red nose, 139 00:07:47,798 --> 00:07:51,970 and a big orange smile and male. 140 00:07:52,005 --> 00:07:54,798 And those balloons left behind, they now 141 00:07:54,832 --> 00:07:56,763 seemed cruelly mocking. 142 00:07:56,798 --> 00:07:58,039 "You're the greatest." 143 00:07:58,073 --> 00:07:59,315 One said. 144 00:07:59,349 --> 00:08:03,556 The other had a picture of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 145 00:08:03,591 --> 00:08:08,108 Authorities had also spoken with Joe's stepfather, Mike Warren, 146 00:08:08,142 --> 00:08:10,625 who they learned had an alibi. 147 00:08:10,660 --> 00:08:14,005 He was in a car with friends heading to a race track 148 00:08:14,039 --> 00:08:15,970 when the shooting took place. 149 00:08:16,005 --> 00:08:18,349 Growing up with Mike Warren, what was that like? 150 00:08:18,384 --> 00:08:19,625 Was he a good dad? 151 00:08:19,660 --> 00:08:20,556 I thought so. 152 00:08:20,591 --> 00:08:22,039 That's the only father I knew. 153 00:08:22,073 --> 00:08:26,591 I mean, I was really young when my real father and mother 154 00:08:26,625 --> 00:08:28,039 separated. 155 00:08:28,073 --> 00:08:31,556 Marlene and Mike were married when Joe was just three. 156 00:08:31,591 --> 00:08:33,522 They had built a comfortable life 157 00:08:33,556 --> 00:08:36,798 in Wellington, Florida, an affluent suburb. 158 00:08:36,832 --> 00:08:39,141 Marlene owned several businesses, 159 00:08:39,177 --> 00:08:41,314 including apartment complexes. 160 00:08:41,349 --> 00:08:44,073 And the couple ran Bargain Motors, 161 00:08:44,107 --> 00:08:47,694 specializing in used cars and rentals. 162 00:08:47,729 --> 00:08:51,453 While business was good, the marriage, says Joe, 163 00:08:51,487 --> 00:08:52,660 was troubled. 164 00:08:52,694 --> 00:08:56,384 He says his mother became convinced Mike was having 165 00:08:56,418 --> 00:08:59,729 an affair, making her fearful. 166 00:08:59,763 --> 00:09:02,039 She said, "If anything does happen to me, 167 00:09:02,073 --> 00:09:04,211 your father did it." 168 00:09:04,246 --> 00:09:05,522 She said that to you. 169 00:09:05,556 --> 00:09:08,073 I told her, "No way, he would never do anything like that." 170 00:09:08,108 --> 00:09:11,073 She said, "Don't put it past him." 171 00:09:11,108 --> 00:09:15,694 Marlene shared that same fear with her mother, Shirley Twing. 172 00:09:15,729 --> 00:09:22,970 She says, "If anything happens to me, Mike did it." 173 00:09:23,005 --> 00:09:27,211 We interviewed Shirley in 2017 when 48 Hours started 174 00:09:27,246 --> 00:09:29,832 investigating Marlene's murder. 175 00:09:29,867 --> 00:09:31,729 That's an ominous thing to say. 176 00:09:31,763 --> 00:09:33,591 Did you sense fear in her voice? 177 00:09:33,625 --> 00:09:34,418 Sure. 178 00:09:34,453 --> 00:09:36,108 Yes, I did. 179 00:09:36,142 --> 00:09:39,349 So when Shirley learned her daughter had been murdered, 180 00:09:39,384 --> 00:09:42,108 her mind went to Mike. 181 00:09:42,142 --> 00:09:43,349 Right away. 182 00:09:43,384 --> 00:09:45,798 I figured that Mike had something to do with it. 183 00:09:45,832 --> 00:09:47,694 That's for damn sure. 184 00:09:47,729 --> 00:09:50,453 But Mike had that alibi, so authorities 185 00:09:50,487 --> 00:09:52,315 were looking for someone else. 186 00:09:52,349 --> 00:09:54,280 And when they visited Bargain Motors, 187 00:09:54,315 --> 00:09:58,246 Mike's place of business, one name kept popping up. 188 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:03,177 That woman with whom Mike was supposedly having an affair. 189 00:10:03,211 --> 00:10:05,522 Everybody at the Bargain Motors were 190 00:10:05,556 --> 00:10:10,073 reporting that, you should look first at Sheila Keen. 191 00:10:10,108 --> 00:10:13,039 Olathe McRoberts, an assistant state attorney 192 00:10:13,073 --> 00:10:17,142 in Palm Beach County, has worked on the case from the beginning. 193 00:10:17,177 --> 00:10:20,798 And within the next day or so, tips 194 00:10:20,832 --> 00:10:23,867 were being called in that you really should investigate 195 00:10:23,901 --> 00:10:25,660 Sheila Keen and Michael Warren. 196 00:10:25,694 --> 00:10:27,936 They were definitely seeing one another. 197 00:10:27,970 --> 00:10:31,798 Della Ward worked at bargain Motors with Mike Warren. 198 00:10:31,832 --> 00:10:34,591 He had a lot of compassion, a lot of empathy. 199 00:10:34,625 --> 00:10:38,763 And people just were drawn to him, especially women. 200 00:10:38,798 --> 00:10:43,246 One of those women Della believed was Sheila Keen. 201 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,384 I found her very nice, very bubbly. 202 00:10:46,418 --> 00:10:50,694 You knew the way she looked at Michael, you just loved him. 203 00:10:50,729 --> 00:10:51,763 You could see it. 204 00:10:51,798 --> 00:10:54,970 Sheila, who also had a reputation for toughness, 205 00:10:55,005 --> 00:10:56,660 was a repo woman. 206 00:10:56,694 --> 00:11:00,005 Repossessing cars at Bargain Motors. 207 00:11:00,039 --> 00:11:04,246 To do repos, you have to have some kind of guts. 208 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,246 She told me, "I keep a gun for my protection 209 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,591 because people are crazy, what they do." 210 00:11:09,625 --> 00:11:12,039 Sheila told investigators she was out 211 00:11:12,073 --> 00:11:14,729 working at the time of Marlene's murder. 212 00:11:14,763 --> 00:11:18,694 She claimed that she was looking for repossession vehicles 213 00:11:18,729 --> 00:11:22,694 but she was unable to provide any address that she went to 214 00:11:22,729 --> 00:11:25,108 so that they could follow up and confirm it. 215 00:11:25,142 --> 00:11:27,936 As for the affair, both Sheila and Mike 216 00:11:27,970 --> 00:11:30,936 told investigators they were just friends. 217 00:11:30,970 --> 00:11:33,936 But that's not what authorities learned when they 218 00:11:33,970 --> 00:11:35,867 talked to Sheila's neighbors. 219 00:11:35,901 --> 00:11:37,798 The neighbors at that apartment complex 220 00:11:37,832 --> 00:11:39,453 believed that Michael Warren and Sheila 221 00:11:39,487 --> 00:11:40,591 Keen were husband and wife. 222 00:11:40,625 --> 00:11:42,315 Is there any doubt in your mind that there 223 00:11:42,349 --> 00:11:44,039 was a romantic relationship? 224 00:11:44,073 --> 00:11:46,039 There's no doubt. 225 00:11:46,073 --> 00:11:47,832 And they didn't hide it. 226 00:11:47,867 --> 00:11:50,660 An affair though, isn't necessarily 227 00:11:50,694 --> 00:11:52,177 a motive for murder. 228 00:11:52,211 --> 00:11:55,763 Did anyone profit financially from Marlene's death? 229 00:11:55,798 --> 00:11:56,660 Yes. 230 00:11:56,694 --> 00:11:59,522 So Michael Warren profited largely. 231 00:11:59,556 --> 00:12:02,970 The properties and assets that they owned together 232 00:12:03,005 --> 00:12:04,625 were in her name. 233 00:12:04,660 --> 00:12:07,832 So by her predeceasing him, he was 234 00:12:07,867 --> 00:12:11,315 able to obtain 100% of the assets. 235 00:12:11,349 --> 00:12:15,901 Investigators were also trying to locate local stores that had 236 00:12:15,936 --> 00:12:18,556 recently sold clown outfits. 237 00:12:18,591 --> 00:12:21,936 Debra Offord had been working at a costume shop 238 00:12:21,970 --> 00:12:25,625 when two nights before Marlene's murder, a customer 239 00:12:25,660 --> 00:12:28,280 knocked at the door at closing time. 240 00:12:28,315 --> 00:12:30,832 She wanted to see the clown costumes. 241 00:12:30,867 --> 00:12:32,453 I said, "Can you come back tomorrow?" 242 00:12:32,487 --> 00:12:36,418 And she said, "No, I need something right now." 243 00:12:36,453 --> 00:12:40,005 Debra told investigators the customer paid cash, 244 00:12:40,039 --> 00:12:45,142 buying a clown suit, an orange wig, makeup, and a red clown 245 00:12:45,177 --> 00:12:46,280 nose. 246 00:12:46,315 --> 00:12:52,660 She was I would say about 5' 10", 247 00:12:52,694 --> 00:12:57,453 long, thick, straight, chocolate-colored hair. 248 00:12:57,487 --> 00:12:59,280 Big, brown eyes. 249 00:12:59,315 --> 00:13:02,832 Detectives later presented Debra with a photo lineup 250 00:13:02,867 --> 00:13:05,556 that included a picture of Sheila Keen. 251 00:13:05,591 --> 00:13:09,039 Debra identified Keen and one other woman 252 00:13:09,073 --> 00:13:13,384 as possibly being the person who bought the clown costume. 253 00:13:13,418 --> 00:13:15,453 The Sheriff's Office also believed 254 00:13:15,487 --> 00:13:18,384 they located where the shooter bought those flowers 255 00:13:18,418 --> 00:13:19,625 and balloons. 256 00:13:19,660 --> 00:13:21,832 This supermarket. 257 00:13:21,867 --> 00:13:25,729 The buyer described as a White female with dark brown hair. 258 00:13:25,763 --> 00:13:28,384 The description of the customer given by the worker 259 00:13:28,418 --> 00:13:30,763 at the supermarket, brown hair. 260 00:13:30,798 --> 00:13:33,625 And at the costume store, brown hair, 261 00:13:33,660 --> 00:13:37,005 brown eyes was consistent with Sheila Keen. 262 00:13:37,039 --> 00:13:40,901 And there was Sheila's reported affair with Mike Warren. 263 00:13:40,936 --> 00:13:44,073 It was intriguing circumstantial evidence. 264 00:13:44,108 --> 00:13:46,729 But would it be enough to make an arrest? 265 00:14:00,418 --> 00:14:03,384 [MUSIC PLAYING] 266 00:14:13,729 --> 00:14:16,694 Before they turned the machine off on my mother-- 267 00:14:19,832 --> 00:14:22,039 God, I wish you could be here with me. 268 00:14:22,073 --> 00:14:26,073 I told her that I loved her very much 269 00:14:26,108 --> 00:14:28,211 and that we were going to get justice. 270 00:14:28,246 --> 00:14:30,073 [MUSIC PLAYING] 271 00:14:34,073 --> 00:14:38,591 As Joe Ahrens mourned the loss of his mother, Marlene, 272 00:14:38,625 --> 00:14:43,211 investigators continued looking for additional evidence tying 273 00:14:43,246 --> 00:14:46,556 Sheila Keen to Marlene Warren's murder. 274 00:14:46,591 --> 00:14:48,142 You talk about this case to anyone 275 00:14:48,177 --> 00:14:51,108 and the first place people go is yeah, it's the mistress. 276 00:14:51,142 --> 00:14:55,315 So investigators focused on Sheila Keen. 277 00:14:55,349 --> 00:14:58,280 And soon, a big break when detectives 278 00:14:58,315 --> 00:15:01,108 located this abandoned white Chrysler 279 00:15:01,142 --> 00:15:04,073 LeBaron matching the description witnesses 280 00:15:04,108 --> 00:15:06,384 gave of the getaway car. 281 00:15:06,418 --> 00:15:09,073 What was found inside that Chrysler LeBaron? 282 00:15:09,108 --> 00:15:13,832 There was synthetic fibers, similar type fibers 283 00:15:13,867 --> 00:15:15,315 to a clown wig. 284 00:15:15,349 --> 00:15:19,005 They were orange, the same color as the wig Joe Ahrens 285 00:15:19,039 --> 00:15:21,073 says the assailant was wearing. 286 00:15:21,108 --> 00:15:24,522 Also inside the car, they found a human hair. 287 00:15:24,556 --> 00:15:27,453 It was brown like Sheila Keen's. 288 00:15:30,418 --> 00:15:32,487 Sheriff's detectives executed a search warrant 289 00:15:32,522 --> 00:15:34,246 at the home of Sheila Keen. 290 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,005 Inside Sheila Keen's closet, detectives 291 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:41,039 say they recovered orange fibers that a forensic examination 292 00:15:41,073 --> 00:15:44,832 later concluded were similar to the ones found in the Chrysler 293 00:15:44,867 --> 00:15:45,936 LeBaron. 294 00:15:45,970 --> 00:15:47,901 And another breakthrough was made 295 00:15:47,936 --> 00:15:50,315 when Sheila's hair from her apartment 296 00:15:50,349 --> 00:15:54,384 was compared to the one recovered from the getaway car. 297 00:15:54,418 --> 00:15:57,798 That was scientifically microscopically 298 00:15:57,832 --> 00:16:00,591 examined and found to be consistent. 299 00:16:00,625 --> 00:16:02,694 Consistent with Sheila's hair. 300 00:16:02,729 --> 00:16:07,039 But DNA technology was still in its infancy in 1990 301 00:16:07,073 --> 00:16:11,522 and scientists were unable to make a definitive connection. 302 00:16:11,556 --> 00:16:14,349 There were other challenges for investigators. 303 00:16:14,384 --> 00:16:18,660 The gun used to kill Marlene and the actual costume the killer 304 00:16:18,694 --> 00:16:21,039 clown wore were never found. 305 00:16:21,073 --> 00:16:26,005 And remember, Joe thought the attacker was a 6 foot tall man. 306 00:16:26,039 --> 00:16:29,591 Sheila didn't fit either of those descriptions. 307 00:16:29,625 --> 00:16:32,522 We're talking about an event that took seconds. 308 00:16:32,556 --> 00:16:36,970 Glances of this clown was a second or two. 309 00:16:37,005 --> 00:16:39,901 Also, McRoberts says any eyewitness 310 00:16:39,936 --> 00:16:42,453 would have a hard time describing someone 311 00:16:42,487 --> 00:16:47,660 in a baggy clown costume, make up, and a wig. 312 00:16:47,694 --> 00:16:49,453 It's basically a clown is a clown. 313 00:16:49,487 --> 00:16:52,177 And there was Sheila's alleged affair 314 00:16:52,211 --> 00:16:55,556 with Mike Warren, those fiber and hair results, 315 00:16:55,591 --> 00:16:59,694 and those sales clerks at the costume and grocery stores 316 00:16:59,729 --> 00:17:02,280 whose description of the customer purchasing 317 00:17:02,315 --> 00:17:05,763 the clown outfit, balloons, and flowers was 318 00:17:05,797 --> 00:17:07,660 consistent with Sheila. 319 00:17:07,694 --> 00:17:10,624 This sounds like the evidence is really building up. 320 00:17:10,660 --> 00:17:13,349 It's like you've got enough there to make an arrest. 321 00:17:13,383 --> 00:17:14,555 What happens? 322 00:17:14,591 --> 00:17:16,246 Well, there was certainly argument 323 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,591 about that and opinions that differed at the time. 324 00:17:19,624 --> 00:17:22,901 And then there's an indecision about do I do it now 325 00:17:22,936 --> 00:17:25,005 or should we keep trying and get a little bit more? 326 00:17:28,073 --> 00:17:30,729 As investigators looked for more evidence, 327 00:17:30,763 --> 00:17:33,832 they discovered that Mike Warren's business, Bargain 328 00:17:33,867 --> 00:17:38,418 Motors, was connected to the suspected getaway car. 329 00:17:38,453 --> 00:17:42,142 They learned an employee stole the car from a competitor 330 00:17:42,177 --> 00:17:45,142 several weeks before the murder. 331 00:17:45,177 --> 00:17:48,453 And that's how they got the Chrysler LeBaron. 332 00:17:48,487 --> 00:17:51,453 Sheriff's detectives spent about five hours Thursday night 333 00:17:51,487 --> 00:17:53,832 searching the offices of Bargain Motors at-- 334 00:17:53,867 --> 00:17:56,591 And as they investigated Mike Warren's business, 335 00:17:56,625 --> 00:17:59,315 they discovered widespread fraud, 336 00:17:59,349 --> 00:18:04,039 charging him with racketeering, insurance fraud, and odometer 337 00:18:04,073 --> 00:18:05,177 tampering. 338 00:18:05,211 --> 00:18:09,556 He ultimately was convicted on 43 counts of fraud 339 00:18:09,591 --> 00:18:11,487 and sent to prison. 340 00:18:11,522 --> 00:18:12,625 It was for fraud. 341 00:18:12,660 --> 00:18:16,108 And so you just can't extrapolate one to the next. 342 00:18:16,142 --> 00:18:18,177 I mean, there's no evidence that he's a murderer. 343 00:18:18,211 --> 00:18:20,280 We do have our suspicions though. 344 00:18:20,315 --> 00:18:23,763 He was not charged with any crime in connection 345 00:18:23,798 --> 00:18:25,142 with Marlene's murder. 346 00:18:25,177 --> 00:18:30,246 And Warren felt he was a victim in this case, sentiments 347 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,418 he shared in a radio interview before he went to prison. 348 00:18:34,453 --> 00:18:36,763 They wanted to put me out of business. 349 00:18:36,798 --> 00:18:39,936 Warren speculated that Marlene might actually 350 00:18:39,970 --> 00:18:44,005 have been the victim of an angry tenant or car buyer. 351 00:18:44,039 --> 00:18:47,418 I really can't think of a reason why 352 00:18:47,453 --> 00:18:50,384 other than the fact of the type of businesses that we're 353 00:18:50,418 --> 00:18:56,039 in as far as them landlords and crossing a few people 354 00:18:56,073 --> 00:18:59,039 by repossessing their car. 355 00:18:59,073 --> 00:19:01,280 But law enforcement did not think 356 00:19:01,315 --> 00:19:05,073 Marlene Warren's murder was the work of a disgruntled tenant 357 00:19:05,108 --> 00:19:06,349 or customer. 358 00:19:06,384 --> 00:19:09,901 And as the years passed, the case grew cold. 359 00:19:09,936 --> 00:19:15,384 And as for Sheila Keen, she seemed to disappear. 360 00:19:15,418 --> 00:19:18,763 Nobody ever brought her name up again. 361 00:19:18,798 --> 00:19:22,556 For many years, I was suffering in despair. 362 00:19:22,591 --> 00:19:25,798 After Mike Warren went to prison, Joe says he 363 00:19:25,832 --> 00:19:28,763 and his stepfather became estranged. 364 00:19:28,798 --> 00:19:31,832 And as he continued to grieve the loss of his mother, 365 00:19:31,867 --> 00:19:36,418 he was consumed by her case going unsolved. 366 00:19:36,453 --> 00:19:38,763 And give me a sense of what problems you fell 367 00:19:38,798 --> 00:19:42,763 into after your mother's murder. 368 00:19:42,798 --> 00:19:45,005 Oh, wow, where do we start? 369 00:19:45,039 --> 00:19:48,660 Alcoholism, drugs, I mean, you name it. 370 00:19:48,694 --> 00:19:51,556 It was especially painful, says Joe, 371 00:19:51,591 --> 00:19:55,177 on each passing anniversary of the shooting. 372 00:19:55,211 --> 00:19:57,763 I would blow up that day and go get drunk 373 00:19:57,798 --> 00:20:00,832 and just go to her gravesite, it was sad. 374 00:20:00,867 --> 00:20:03,280 Would you go out to her grave to talk to her? 375 00:20:03,315 --> 00:20:06,522 I did a lot to try to find answers. 376 00:20:06,556 --> 00:20:07,901 But I was so confused. 377 00:20:07,936 --> 00:20:08,867 I was getting nothing. 378 00:20:08,901 --> 00:20:11,349 I was just lost. 379 00:20:11,384 --> 00:20:12,832 I miss you. 380 00:20:12,867 --> 00:20:16,660 I wish you could help me through these hard times. 381 00:20:16,694 --> 00:20:21,522 Joe eventually emerged from the fog of drugs and despair. 382 00:20:21,556 --> 00:20:26,418 With that behind him, he became increasingly certain of who 383 00:20:26,453 --> 00:20:28,315 murdered his mother. 384 00:20:28,349 --> 00:20:32,453 I concluded that Sheila was the one that did it. 385 00:20:32,487 --> 00:20:35,073 She probably never thought in a million years 386 00:20:35,108 --> 00:20:37,039 she'd be held accountable for her crimes 387 00:20:37,073 --> 00:20:38,625 She thought she'd got away with it. 388 00:20:42,246 --> 00:20:45,108 What do you make of the evidence against Sheila Keen? 389 00:20:45,142 --> 00:20:53,142 Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and X. 390 00:20:53,177 --> 00:20:55,660 [MUSIC PLAYING] 391 00:20:59,073 --> 00:21:02,487 These are paintings that Marlene had painted when 392 00:21:02,522 --> 00:21:05,039 she was about 14 years old. 393 00:21:05,073 --> 00:21:08,763 I kind of grin because I can almost see her doing this. 394 00:21:08,798 --> 00:21:12,832 Shirley Twing and her daughter, Marlene, shared a fascination 395 00:21:12,867 --> 00:21:13,729 with clowns. 396 00:21:13,763 --> 00:21:15,005 And over here-- 397 00:21:15,039 --> 00:21:19,039 In Shirley's home, she even kept a room full of clown art 398 00:21:19,073 --> 00:21:20,763 and figurines. 399 00:21:20,798 --> 00:21:25,142 This one says to me things will get better. 400 00:21:25,177 --> 00:21:28,315 The sad sometimes unsettling images 401 00:21:28,349 --> 00:21:31,487 brought comfort to Shirley despite the fact 402 00:21:31,522 --> 00:21:36,039 that a clown had so brutally ended her daughter's life. 403 00:21:36,073 --> 00:21:37,763 I don't hate clowns. 404 00:21:37,798 --> 00:21:39,936 I just hate one. 405 00:21:39,970 --> 00:21:42,418 Although the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office 406 00:21:42,453 --> 00:21:45,177 hadn't given up on solving Marlene's murder, 407 00:21:45,211 --> 00:21:50,177 27 long years had passed without an arrest. 408 00:21:50,211 --> 00:21:55,039 Then by 2017, a cold case unit made a breakthrough. 409 00:21:55,073 --> 00:21:58,039 State attorney, Dave Aronberg, finally 410 00:21:58,073 --> 00:22:01,142 had new important evidence. 411 00:22:01,177 --> 00:22:04,039 The hairs that were found in the LeBaron 412 00:22:04,073 --> 00:22:08,798 were able to be traced to Sheila Keen through DNA technology. 413 00:22:08,832 --> 00:22:11,453 With that new DNA match, detectives 414 00:22:11,487 --> 00:22:13,936 believed they could now definitively connect 415 00:22:13,970 --> 00:22:16,349 Sheila to the alleged getaway car 416 00:22:16,384 --> 00:22:20,177 and to Marlene Warren's murder. 417 00:22:20,211 --> 00:22:23,556 And when Sheriff's found suspect, Sheila Keen, 418 00:22:23,591 --> 00:22:28,660 they were blown away to learn whom she had married. 419 00:22:28,694 --> 00:22:31,108 After Michael Warren got out of prison, 420 00:22:31,142 --> 00:22:33,349 he reconnected with Sheila Keen. 421 00:22:33,384 --> 00:22:35,763 Here's someone whose wife had been murdered, 422 00:22:35,798 --> 00:22:38,867 and he just married the chief suspect. 423 00:22:38,901 --> 00:22:40,039 What did that tell you? 424 00:22:40,073 --> 00:22:42,177 When you combine the fact that the two of them 425 00:22:42,211 --> 00:22:44,522 were in affair at the time of the murder 426 00:22:44,556 --> 00:22:46,556 and then later they got married, it 427 00:22:46,591 --> 00:22:49,763 did seem like mission accomplished. 428 00:22:49,798 --> 00:22:52,729 That marriage was in 2002. 429 00:22:52,763 --> 00:22:56,418 The Warrens, now middle-aged, settled into a new life 430 00:22:56,453 --> 00:23:01,039 in Tennessee, running this burger joint called Purple Cow. 431 00:23:01,073 --> 00:23:05,211 She took Mike's Last name but in an interesting twist, 432 00:23:05,246 --> 00:23:07,798 assistant state attorney Olathe McRoberts 433 00:23:07,832 --> 00:23:11,177 says she changed her first name. 434 00:23:11,211 --> 00:23:14,453 Sheila Keen-Warren introduced herself to their friends 435 00:23:14,487 --> 00:23:17,246 in that life that her name was Debbie. 436 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,798 She had dyed her hair blonde, changed her name, 437 00:23:20,832 --> 00:23:23,453 and was living a full life. 438 00:23:23,487 --> 00:23:24,867 We would have dinners. 439 00:23:24,901 --> 00:23:26,487 They were wonderful cooks. 440 00:23:26,522 --> 00:23:29,108 The Warrens befriended Brooke Blevins. 441 00:23:29,142 --> 00:23:31,039 This is Mike Warrens house. 442 00:23:31,073 --> 00:23:33,487 A neighbor at a weekend property the couple 443 00:23:33,522 --> 00:23:35,901 purchased in the Virginia mountains. 444 00:23:35,936 --> 00:23:38,867 When we spoke to Brooke in 2018, she 445 00:23:38,901 --> 00:23:41,384 said she knew Mike's wife as Debbie 446 00:23:41,418 --> 00:23:44,660 and was told it was a childhood nickname. 447 00:23:44,694 --> 00:23:47,936 Her dad nicknamed her that when she was small. 448 00:23:47,970 --> 00:23:49,384 I only ever called her Sheila. 449 00:23:49,418 --> 00:23:50,522 I always called her Debbie. 450 00:23:50,556 --> 00:23:53,936 Former Purple Cow employees, Ashley Sexton 451 00:23:53,970 --> 00:23:59,418 and Cynthia Swafford, say they knew Debbie as a tough boss. 452 00:23:59,453 --> 00:24:01,694 I mean, she was awful aggressive mean. 453 00:24:01,729 --> 00:24:06,901 And even heard an alarming rumor about her past. 454 00:24:06,936 --> 00:24:12,901 The rumor around Purple Cow when we worked there was Debbie 455 00:24:12,936 --> 00:24:14,280 killed Mike's ex-wife. 456 00:24:17,556 --> 00:24:19,177 I thought that it was blowing off steam. 457 00:24:19,211 --> 00:24:21,418 I was like, OK, whatever. 458 00:24:21,453 --> 00:24:23,901 But the rumors said it more than once, 459 00:24:23,936 --> 00:24:28,970 even to where we knew she dressed up like a clown. 460 00:24:29,005 --> 00:24:31,453 According to an employee, Sheila had 461 00:24:31,487 --> 00:24:35,315 appeared in clown makeup at the restaurant one year 462 00:24:35,349 --> 00:24:36,729 during Halloween. 463 00:24:36,763 --> 00:24:41,108 By the fall of 2017, the Warrens had sold the business 464 00:24:41,142 --> 00:24:45,763 and retired full time to the house in Virginia. 465 00:24:45,798 --> 00:24:48,487 Meanwhile, state attorney Aronberg 466 00:24:48,522 --> 00:24:52,694 felt the case against Sheila had only gotten stronger. 467 00:24:52,729 --> 00:24:56,005 When you combine the fact that they got married and seemingly 468 00:24:56,039 --> 00:24:59,556 lived happily ever after, with the new DNA breakthrough, 469 00:24:59,591 --> 00:25:03,108 we're able to get enough evidence to make an arrest. 470 00:25:03,142 --> 00:25:09,556 On September 26 2017, 27 years after Marlene's murder, 471 00:25:09,591 --> 00:25:12,798 authorities arrested Sheila Keen-Warren driving 472 00:25:12,832 --> 00:25:15,453 on a road near their home. 473 00:25:15,487 --> 00:25:20,798 She was charged with first-degree murder. 474 00:25:20,832 --> 00:25:23,005 Sheila did not murder Marlene Warren. 475 00:25:23,039 --> 00:25:26,660 Greg Rosenfeld, Sheila Keen-Warren's defense attorney 476 00:25:26,694 --> 00:25:30,108 says Sheila was not the shooter. 477 00:25:30,142 --> 00:25:32,039 Everything was so methodical. 478 00:25:32,073 --> 00:25:34,936 This person walking up to the house, 479 00:25:34,970 --> 00:25:40,349 committing this shooting, and then slowly walking away. 480 00:25:40,384 --> 00:25:45,039 We're dealing with someone who had experience in committing 481 00:25:45,073 --> 00:25:46,384 a hit or a murder. 482 00:25:46,418 --> 00:25:47,970 That's not Sheila. 483 00:25:48,005 --> 00:25:49,901 That is not Sheila. 484 00:25:49,936 --> 00:25:53,522 Shortly after Sheila's arrest, Dave Aronberg 485 00:25:53,556 --> 00:25:55,177 addressed reporters. 486 00:25:55,211 --> 00:25:57,625 Today, we filed a notice of intent 487 00:25:57,660 --> 00:25:59,936 to seek the death penalty in this case. 488 00:25:59,970 --> 00:26:02,798 Can you say whether Michael Warren is a suspect? 489 00:26:02,832 --> 00:26:04,660 I can't say that. 490 00:26:04,694 --> 00:26:07,487 Olathe McRoberts says there was something 491 00:26:07,522 --> 00:26:11,453 Sheila asked as she was being taken into custody that 492 00:26:11,487 --> 00:26:13,936 caught prosecutors attention. 493 00:26:13,970 --> 00:26:15,798 One of the first things she said is well, 494 00:26:15,832 --> 00:26:19,142 you are going to arrest him too, pointing to her husband. 495 00:26:19,177 --> 00:26:20,660 Which suggests what to you? 496 00:26:20,694 --> 00:26:23,315 That she knew exactly what she was being arrested for, 497 00:26:23,349 --> 00:26:24,936 and they had done it together. 498 00:26:24,970 --> 00:26:27,522 Joe had come to the same conclusion, 499 00:26:27,556 --> 00:26:31,315 that his stepfather and Sheila were both involved 500 00:26:31,349 --> 00:26:33,073 in his mother's murder. 501 00:26:33,108 --> 00:26:36,867 Would you like to see Mike Warren charged 502 00:26:36,901 --> 00:26:38,246 in the murder of your mother? 503 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:39,867 Yes, I would. 504 00:26:39,901 --> 00:26:43,108 With Sheila in custody, we wanted 505 00:26:43,142 --> 00:26:45,487 to speak with Mike Warren. 506 00:26:45,522 --> 00:26:49,246 We're going to go to his front door, give it a knock, 507 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,177 see if he'll answer a couple of questions. 508 00:26:51,211 --> 00:26:54,177 [MUSIC PLAYING] 509 00:27:14,418 --> 00:27:19,763 After the arrest of Sheila Keen-Warren in 2017, 510 00:27:19,798 --> 00:27:23,625 48 Hours wanted to talk to Mike Warren about what he 511 00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:26,384 knew about his wife's murder. 512 00:27:26,418 --> 00:27:28,280 Here he comes. 513 00:27:28,315 --> 00:27:29,108 Hey, Mike. 514 00:27:29,142 --> 00:27:31,418 I'm Peter Van Sant with CBS News. 515 00:27:31,453 --> 00:27:34,384 He wouldn't open the door, but we spoke through it 516 00:27:34,418 --> 00:27:38,487 for several minutes competing with a barking dog. 517 00:27:38,522 --> 00:27:43,108 Did you have anything to do with planning the murder 518 00:27:43,142 --> 00:27:45,901 of your wife, Marlene? 519 00:27:45,936 --> 00:27:48,142 You did not. 520 00:27:48,177 --> 00:27:51,729 He was adamant that neither he nor Sheila Keen-Warren 521 00:27:51,763 --> 00:27:54,660 had anything to do with Marlene's murder. 522 00:27:54,694 --> 00:27:58,763 Did you suggest to Sheila that she dress in a clown outfit? 523 00:27:58,798 --> 00:28:01,349 You're saying, "Sheila, Sheila." 524 00:28:01,384 --> 00:28:03,349 Who says she even did that? 525 00:28:03,384 --> 00:28:05,349 I don't think she had anything to do with this. 526 00:28:05,384 --> 00:28:07,418 If I thought she had something to do with this, 527 00:28:07,453 --> 00:28:09,522 I wouldn't have been with her. 528 00:28:09,556 --> 00:28:11,867 Do you believe, based on the evidence 529 00:28:11,901 --> 00:28:14,763 over the years that Mike Warren knew what 530 00:28:14,798 --> 00:28:16,453 was going to happen that day? 531 00:28:16,487 --> 00:28:20,246 I don't believe there's any direct evidence of that. 532 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:21,867 There just wasn't enough evidence 533 00:28:21,901 --> 00:28:23,349 to prosecute Michael Warren. 534 00:28:23,384 --> 00:28:27,280 But if evidence emerges, we'll pursue it. 535 00:28:27,315 --> 00:28:30,694 As they prepared for trial, despite never recovering 536 00:28:30,729 --> 00:28:34,039 the clown disguise or the gun, prosecutors 537 00:28:34,073 --> 00:28:37,246 were confident they could prove that Sheila Keen-Warren 538 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,729 committed the murder so that she could marry Mike Warren. 539 00:28:41,763 --> 00:28:44,211 Sheila Keen-Warren had the means, the motive, 540 00:28:44,246 --> 00:28:47,315 and the opportunity to do this. 541 00:28:47,349 --> 00:28:50,556 We will never know who killed Marlene Warren 542 00:28:50,591 --> 00:28:54,280 because the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the State 543 00:28:54,315 --> 00:28:59,039 Attorney's Office did such a poor job investigating 544 00:28:59,073 --> 00:29:01,005 this case. 545 00:29:01,039 --> 00:29:05,901 I can tell you without question that it was not Sheila Keen. 546 00:29:05,936 --> 00:29:09,556 Sheila Keen-Warren's defense attorney, Greg Rosenfeld, 547 00:29:09,591 --> 00:29:11,487 says she's innocent. 548 00:29:11,522 --> 00:29:14,591 A victim of the state attorney's reckless desire 549 00:29:14,625 --> 00:29:17,729 to close a notorious cold case. 550 00:29:17,763 --> 00:29:18,970 And they said, you know what? 551 00:29:19,005 --> 00:29:20,177 This is our suspect. 552 00:29:20,211 --> 00:29:21,591 We're going to stick with it. 553 00:29:21,625 --> 00:29:25,798 Even though the pieces of the puzzle didn't fit the puzzle. 554 00:29:25,832 --> 00:29:30,487 Rosenfeld says there were other potential suspects authorities 555 00:29:30,522 --> 00:29:35,039 ignored, including an inmate who supposedly bragged in prison 556 00:29:35,073 --> 00:29:37,039 about murdering Marlene. 557 00:29:37,073 --> 00:29:41,660 But prosecutors say he was investigated and cleared. 558 00:29:41,694 --> 00:29:44,073 It's not surprising that they would 559 00:29:44,108 --> 00:29:46,729 try to point the finger at law enforcement 560 00:29:46,763 --> 00:29:48,798 for not looking at every potential suspect. 561 00:29:48,832 --> 00:29:50,246 But if you look at the evidence, it 562 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:54,556 pointed to one person all along, Sheila Keen-Warren. 563 00:29:54,591 --> 00:29:57,522 The state was confident Sheila Keen-Warren 564 00:29:57,556 --> 00:30:00,280 was responsible for Marlene's murder. 565 00:30:00,315 --> 00:30:05,005 But Rosenfeld plans to poke holes in its case at trial. 566 00:30:05,039 --> 00:30:07,660 How do you overcome DNA evidence? 567 00:30:07,694 --> 00:30:09,315 The State Attorney's Office should 568 00:30:09,349 --> 00:30:12,660 be embarrassed about the DNA evidence in this case. 569 00:30:12,694 --> 00:30:15,591 Rosenfeld agrees the hair prosecutors 570 00:30:15,625 --> 00:30:18,487 say was found in the LeBaron getaway car 571 00:30:18,522 --> 00:30:21,039 could be from Sheila Keen-Warren. 572 00:30:21,073 --> 00:30:25,453 But he says it could also be from about 4% 573 00:30:25,487 --> 00:30:28,211 of the US Caucasian population. 574 00:30:28,246 --> 00:30:31,729 They couldn't exclude Marlene Warren from that hair sample. 575 00:30:31,763 --> 00:30:35,005 So that was their groundbreaking DNA evidence. 576 00:30:35,039 --> 00:30:37,177 And if you concede that the hair is 577 00:30:37,211 --> 00:30:39,798 from Sheila Keen-Warren, says Rosenfeld, 578 00:30:39,832 --> 00:30:43,211 there's an innocent explanation as to how it got there. 579 00:30:43,246 --> 00:30:46,660 The LeBaron was on the lot at Bargain Motors 580 00:30:46,694 --> 00:30:47,970 where she worked. 581 00:30:48,005 --> 00:30:53,005 Sheila may have been in the car used in this murder. 582 00:30:53,039 --> 00:30:54,108 That's it. 583 00:30:54,142 --> 00:30:56,349 The defense attorney says, well of course, 584 00:30:56,384 --> 00:30:57,901 her hair might be in there. 585 00:30:57,936 --> 00:31:00,729 It doesn't suggest that she was driving 586 00:31:00,763 --> 00:31:02,177 at the time of the murder. 587 00:31:02,211 --> 00:31:03,487 What do you say to that? 588 00:31:03,522 --> 00:31:05,177 It's just one more link. 589 00:31:05,211 --> 00:31:07,970 Once you put that one thing with the totality 590 00:31:08,005 --> 00:31:10,936 of all the circumstances, then it 591 00:31:10,970 --> 00:31:14,142 starts to become overwhelming. 592 00:31:14,177 --> 00:31:17,177 Rosenfeld says the orange fibers found 593 00:31:17,211 --> 00:31:21,798 in the car which prosecutors say could be from the clown costume 594 00:31:21,832 --> 00:31:23,867 should also be excluded. 595 00:31:23,901 --> 00:31:30,073 So the fibers found in the car were synthetic fibers. 596 00:31:30,108 --> 00:31:33,384 That same type of fiber could be used in thousands 597 00:31:33,418 --> 00:31:34,970 of different products. 598 00:31:35,005 --> 00:31:38,384 So the state likes to present it as clown wig fibers 599 00:31:38,418 --> 00:31:41,418 but that's factually incorrect. 600 00:31:41,453 --> 00:31:44,073 Even more troubling than the evidence gathered, 601 00:31:44,108 --> 00:31:48,591 says Rosenfeld, is how it was handled over the decades. 602 00:31:48,625 --> 00:31:50,315 What are we looking at here? 603 00:31:50,349 --> 00:31:54,108 These are evidence bags at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's 604 00:31:54,142 --> 00:31:57,970 Office evidence unit torn open. 605 00:31:58,005 --> 00:32:01,970 Just gaping holes in these evidence bags. 606 00:32:02,005 --> 00:32:04,556 If there's gaping holes, what can that do to the evidence 607 00:32:04,591 --> 00:32:06,005 inside? 608 00:32:06,039 --> 00:32:09,936 That's precisely how you have cross contamination. 609 00:32:09,970 --> 00:32:12,108 Now, look at-- 610 00:32:12,142 --> 00:32:13,453 I can zoom in here. 611 00:32:13,487 --> 00:32:16,936 This bag contains a clown wig investigators 612 00:32:16,970 --> 00:32:19,522 purchased similar to the one they believed 613 00:32:19,556 --> 00:32:21,694 was worn by the assailant. 614 00:32:21,729 --> 00:32:25,694 They used it to compare to the fibers found in the LeBaron 615 00:32:25,729 --> 00:32:27,694 and in Sheila's home. 616 00:32:27,729 --> 00:32:31,280 This is an open evidence bag with the wig sticking out. 617 00:32:31,315 --> 00:32:33,418 This is horrifying. 618 00:32:33,453 --> 00:32:37,246 And so your bottom line is that this evidence is unreliable 619 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:37,763 now. 620 00:32:37,798 --> 00:32:39,108 Without question. 621 00:32:39,142 --> 00:32:43,005 Can it not be argued that some of the evidence in this case 622 00:32:43,039 --> 00:32:46,108 was indeed bungled? 623 00:32:46,142 --> 00:32:48,142 You're asking a lot of law enforcement 624 00:32:48,177 --> 00:32:52,625 to be perfect from 1990 to today. 625 00:32:52,660 --> 00:32:55,763 Some of the evidence was kept in an evidence storage 626 00:32:55,798 --> 00:32:58,625 area that wasn't ideal. 627 00:32:58,660 --> 00:33:02,280 Any mistake, any small opening will be 628 00:33:02,315 --> 00:33:04,039 exploited by defense lawyers. 629 00:33:07,177 --> 00:33:10,556 Prosecutors were still certain they had the right person 630 00:33:10,591 --> 00:33:12,039 for Marlene's murder. 631 00:33:12,073 --> 00:33:15,901 But in February 2020, after a re-evaluation 632 00:33:15,936 --> 00:33:18,211 of Sheila Keen-Warren's case, they 633 00:33:18,246 --> 00:33:21,867 announced they would no longer seek the death penalty. 634 00:33:21,901 --> 00:33:23,867 Were you told by the prosecutor's office 635 00:33:23,901 --> 00:33:27,729 that there was always a chance in a jury trial 636 00:33:27,763 --> 00:33:31,246 that she might even be acquitted? 637 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:31,798 Yes. 638 00:33:35,625 --> 00:33:38,522 See more evidence from the case at 48hours.com. 639 00:33:49,005 --> 00:33:51,384 When you think of your mom today, what do you think about? 640 00:33:51,418 --> 00:33:54,211 What images come to mind? 641 00:33:54,246 --> 00:33:57,039 Well, she was robbed and so was I. 642 00:33:57,073 --> 00:34:00,487 It is said the wheels of justice turn slowly. 643 00:34:00,522 --> 00:34:03,073 And when it came to the murder of Marlene Warren, 644 00:34:03,108 --> 00:34:07,177 that grind often seemed to come to a halt. 645 00:34:07,211 --> 00:34:10,556 After the 27-year wait for an arrest, 646 00:34:10,590 --> 00:34:13,832 Sheila Keen-Warren's trial kept getting delayed. 647 00:34:13,867 --> 00:34:18,762 By 2022, she had spent five years in jail. 648 00:34:18,798 --> 00:34:22,349 Her trial postponed six times. 649 00:34:22,384 --> 00:34:24,280 And then we had COVID. 650 00:34:24,315 --> 00:34:27,177 So it just was one thing after another, 651 00:34:27,211 --> 00:34:31,005 decades of accumulation of files and photographs 652 00:34:31,039 --> 00:34:33,901 and mountains of evidence and documents. 653 00:34:33,936 --> 00:34:36,005 Defense attorney, Greg Rosenfeld, 654 00:34:36,039 --> 00:34:40,039 was also trying to work his way through all that evidence. 655 00:34:40,073 --> 00:34:42,590 And he says, adding to the delays 656 00:34:42,625 --> 00:34:45,832 was a lack of cooperation from the state. 657 00:34:45,867 --> 00:34:49,452 Evidence kept I'd say disappearing. 658 00:34:49,487 --> 00:34:52,625 Rosenfeld says one crucial piece of evidence 659 00:34:52,660 --> 00:34:56,039 for the defense that disappeared for years 660 00:34:56,073 --> 00:35:00,522 was what investigators called the clown sighting file. 661 00:35:00,556 --> 00:35:02,556 These were all the tips about people 662 00:35:02,591 --> 00:35:05,729 who alleged to have seen clowns in the area. 663 00:35:05,763 --> 00:35:09,453 That opens up for you new avenues as 664 00:35:09,487 --> 00:35:10,867 to possible suspects. 665 00:35:10,901 --> 00:35:11,591 Absolutely. 666 00:35:11,625 --> 00:35:12,867 Absolutely. 667 00:35:12,901 --> 00:35:16,522 I think the Sheriff's Office and the State Attorney's Office 668 00:35:16,556 --> 00:35:20,142 just decided they didn't want to look for this evidence. 669 00:35:20,177 --> 00:35:23,729 But then suddenly in October of 2022, 670 00:35:23,763 --> 00:35:28,142 as another trial date neared, the file was found. 671 00:35:28,177 --> 00:35:33,280 It was located not with the Sheila Keen clown murder boxes, 672 00:35:33,315 --> 00:35:36,142 it was actually a file out of place. 673 00:35:36,177 --> 00:35:39,280 They find this clown sighting file and there's 35 tips. 674 00:35:39,315 --> 00:35:42,280 We begin to investigate them, now 675 00:35:42,315 --> 00:35:45,108 we're 32 years after the murder. 676 00:35:45,142 --> 00:35:47,246 We couldn't track down these witnesses. 677 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,832 I've seen it, and it's silly things. 678 00:35:49,867 --> 00:35:52,625 Clearly clown sightings that had nothing 679 00:35:52,660 --> 00:35:54,142 to do with the Marlene Warren. 680 00:35:54,177 --> 00:35:56,453 And it wasn't being intentionally hidden 681 00:35:56,487 --> 00:35:57,384 from the defense. 682 00:35:57,418 --> 00:35:58,625 Absolutely not. 683 00:35:58,660 --> 00:36:01,901 We were meticulous about making sure they had everything. 684 00:36:01,936 --> 00:36:05,315 Though, as the trial neared, the decades of delays 685 00:36:05,349 --> 00:36:09,211 were causing problems for the prosecution as well. 686 00:36:09,246 --> 00:36:12,108 Every day that went by, it was a tougher case. 687 00:36:12,142 --> 00:36:16,005 Witnesses die, memories fade, evidence spoils. 688 00:36:16,039 --> 00:36:18,453 One of our key witnesses passed away. 689 00:36:18,487 --> 00:36:20,970 He was the one who compiled the evidence 690 00:36:21,005 --> 00:36:23,522 and without him, we lost a chain of custody 691 00:36:23,556 --> 00:36:26,970 for some crucial evidence relating to the fibers. 692 00:36:27,005 --> 00:36:28,349 I can zoom in here. 693 00:36:28,384 --> 00:36:30,246 This is an open evidence bag. 694 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:34,522 Evidence the defense already claimed had been poorly stored 695 00:36:34,556 --> 00:36:35,901 and mishandled. 696 00:36:35,936 --> 00:36:38,970 Contaminated, inadmissible, unreliable. 697 00:36:39,005 --> 00:36:42,867 It just goes to show you how poor of an investigation 698 00:36:42,901 --> 00:36:43,970 that was done. 699 00:36:44,005 --> 00:36:46,349 They were going to be able to argue that because 700 00:36:46,384 --> 00:36:48,729 of the opening of the bags, that the evidence was spoiled 701 00:36:48,763 --> 00:36:51,246 and because of the break in the chain of custody because 702 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,177 of the death of our witnesses, it shouldn't even be admitted. 703 00:36:54,211 --> 00:36:57,315 So you had some real potential for reasonable doubt. 704 00:36:57,349 --> 00:37:00,798 There was beyond reasonable doubt. 705 00:37:00,832 --> 00:37:06,108 On April 25th 2023, two weeks before Sheila Keen-Warren's 706 00:37:06,142 --> 00:37:09,763 trial for the murder of Marlene Warren was to begin, 707 00:37:09,798 --> 00:37:13,625 there was yet another surprise in a case that had been 708 00:37:13,660 --> 00:37:16,246 filled with the unexpected. 709 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,832 A plea deal was reached. 710 00:37:18,867 --> 00:37:20,487 Ms. Keen-Warren, the defendant herein, 711 00:37:20,522 --> 00:37:23,280 will agree to withdraw her previously entered plea of not 712 00:37:23,315 --> 00:37:25,073 guilty and her plea of guilty. 713 00:37:25,108 --> 00:37:28,384 Sheila Keen-Warren whose case at one time 714 00:37:28,418 --> 00:37:31,694 included the death penalty, then life imprison, 715 00:37:31,729 --> 00:37:35,039 would now plead guilty to second-degree murder 716 00:37:35,073 --> 00:37:38,556 and be sentenced to 12 years in prison. 717 00:37:38,591 --> 00:37:42,073 Under sentencing guidelines for time served, 718 00:37:42,108 --> 00:37:45,936 she is expected to be released in 2025. 719 00:37:45,970 --> 00:37:47,280 Perhaps sooner. 720 00:37:47,315 --> 00:37:50,005 We had to make a judgment based on what we had. 721 00:37:50,039 --> 00:37:53,039 Because the fear is what if you take this to trial? 722 00:37:53,073 --> 00:37:54,970 The worst thing that could happen 723 00:37:55,005 --> 00:37:58,349 would be that Sheila Keen-Warren would be found not guilty. 724 00:37:58,384 --> 00:38:02,798 Not because she was innocent but because after 33 years, 725 00:38:02,832 --> 00:38:04,970 we could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt 726 00:38:05,005 --> 00:38:06,936 that she was the one who did it. 727 00:38:06,970 --> 00:38:10,349 But Sheila Keen-Warren did have to publicly pay 728 00:38:10,384 --> 00:38:14,625 a price for this plea deal, admitting in open court 729 00:38:14,660 --> 00:38:18,970 that she, in fact, did murder Marlene Warren. 730 00:38:19,005 --> 00:38:21,039 If this case were to proceed to jury trial, 731 00:38:21,073 --> 00:38:23,936 the state would present evidence that on or about May 732 00:38:23,970 --> 00:38:25,936 the 26th of 1990, the defendant was 733 00:38:25,970 --> 00:38:28,763 responsible for the death of Marlene Warren. 734 00:38:28,798 --> 00:38:30,039 Keen, did you hear all that? 735 00:38:30,073 --> 00:38:31,039 Yes, sir. 736 00:38:31,073 --> 00:38:32,211 And do you agree with that factual basis? 737 00:38:32,246 --> 00:38:33,315 Yes. 738 00:38:33,349 --> 00:38:36,418 Despite admitting her crime, Sheila Keen-Warren, 739 00:38:36,453 --> 00:38:41,039 through her attorney, still maintains she is innocent. 740 00:38:41,073 --> 00:38:44,246 Sheila did not commit this murder. 741 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:49,211 It was very difficult for her to admit to committing a crime 742 00:38:49,246 --> 00:38:50,798 that she did not commit. 743 00:38:50,832 --> 00:38:54,487 But as a matter of law, she has admitted 744 00:38:54,522 --> 00:38:57,625 to committing the murder by saying yes. 745 00:38:57,660 --> 00:38:58,280 Correct. 746 00:38:58,315 --> 00:38:59,694 For the purpose of-- 747 00:38:59,729 --> 00:39:02,625 So she is a convicted murderer. 748 00:39:02,660 --> 00:39:07,660 Insofar as the logos, sure. 749 00:39:07,694 --> 00:39:10,142 But when you're told you can be home 750 00:39:10,177 --> 00:39:13,073 or you can play Russian roulette and risk spending 751 00:39:13,108 --> 00:39:16,660 the rest of your life in prison, it's kind of a no-brainer. 752 00:39:16,694 --> 00:39:18,556 The defense cannot have it both ways. 753 00:39:18,591 --> 00:39:20,867 So she will be a murderer for every day 754 00:39:20,901 --> 00:39:22,142 for the rest of her life. 755 00:39:22,177 --> 00:39:24,039 Even when she gets out of prison one day, 756 00:39:24,073 --> 00:39:26,211 she'll still be a convicted murderer. 757 00:39:26,246 --> 00:39:28,763 When she does get out of prison, she 758 00:39:28,798 --> 00:39:32,901 will reunite with her husband, Michael Warren. 759 00:39:32,936 --> 00:39:35,280 Sheila's going home to Tennessee. 760 00:39:35,315 --> 00:39:38,108 She's going back to her life. 761 00:39:38,142 --> 00:39:40,522 Michael Warren in a statement provided 762 00:39:40,556 --> 00:39:44,591 to 48 Hours regarding the plea said, "My wife 763 00:39:44,625 --> 00:39:46,694 did not commit this crime. 764 00:39:46,729 --> 00:39:51,005 It was difficult to see her plea to a crime she did not commit, 765 00:39:51,039 --> 00:39:53,142 but it wasn't worth the gamble when 766 00:39:53,177 --> 00:39:55,487 she was offered a deal that will have 767 00:39:55,522 --> 00:39:59,246 her home in 16 to 18 months." 768 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,349 With this deal, there is a chance 769 00:40:01,384 --> 00:40:03,867 that Sheila might get out of prison 770 00:40:03,901 --> 00:40:06,177 within the next year or two. 771 00:40:06,211 --> 00:40:07,591 Are you all right with that? 772 00:40:10,349 --> 00:40:13,936 Well, I'm not all right with it but I have to be. 773 00:40:13,970 --> 00:40:17,694 Still, Joe Ahrens approved the plea deal 774 00:40:17,729 --> 00:40:21,418 feeling it wasn't worth the gamble of going to trial. 775 00:40:21,453 --> 00:40:23,177 That was very emotional because that 776 00:40:23,211 --> 00:40:26,936 was the end of something so huge that 777 00:40:26,970 --> 00:40:29,522 grew for 33 years of my life. 778 00:40:29,556 --> 00:40:30,970 Finally, it's over. 779 00:40:31,005 --> 00:40:31,970 Finally. 780 00:40:32,005 --> 00:40:33,177 It was-- 781 00:40:35,798 --> 00:40:40,073 The demons that once occupied Joe's mind are gone, 782 00:40:40,108 --> 00:40:44,763 replaced with loving memories of how his mother, Marlene, lived 783 00:40:44,798 --> 00:40:50,005 rather than how that life was so violently taken. 784 00:40:50,039 --> 00:40:51,453 What would you say to your mother 785 00:40:51,487 --> 00:40:53,039 if you could speak to her today? 786 00:40:53,073 --> 00:40:55,039 Wow, what can I say to my mother? 787 00:40:55,073 --> 00:40:58,694 Thank you for showing me how to love and be peaceful. 788 00:40:58,729 --> 00:41:03,005 And thank you for being in my life. 789 00:41:03,039 --> 00:41:03,487 Hurts. 790 00:41:03,522 --> 00:41:05,763 [MUSIC PLAYING] 791 00:41:21,005 --> 00:41:22,832 Need more time with 48 Hours? 792 00:41:22,867 --> 00:41:26,073 Go deep behind every true crime episode with firsthand accounts 793 00:41:26,108 --> 00:41:28,073 from 48 Hours investigations. 794 00:41:28,108 --> 00:41:31,211 Were you at all prepared for what happened in this case? 795 00:41:31,246 --> 00:41:32,901 Shock is the word that comes to mind. 796 00:41:32,936 --> 00:41:36,005 Get inside the twists and turns and get in on the case. 797 00:41:36,039 --> 00:41:38,694 Listen to Post Mortem from 48 Hours, now available 798 00:41:38,729 --> 00:41:40,005 wherever you get your podcasts. 799 00:41:40,039 --> 00:41:42,763 [MUSIC PLAYING]