The 'Killer Clown' pleads guilty to killing a mother in Florida, could walk free soon
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A 59-year-old woman pleaded guilty to murdering the wife of her alleged lover more than 30 years ago dressed as a clown, whom she eventually married years later.
More than 30 years after disguising himself as a clown to kill his alleged lover's wife, a Florida woman has pleaded guilty to the murder.
Sheila Keen Warren, 59, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Florida court on Tuesday, despite continuing to maintain her innocence. She is accused of murdering Marlene Warren, who in May 1990 was shot in the face by a person dressed as a clown at her home near West Palm Beach, Florida, while her son and friends of she had breakfast inside her.
That fateful day, authorities revealed, Warren opened the door to find someone dressed as a clown and holding two balloons and a flower arrangement. The person disguised as a clown gave the now deceased the gifts and then took out a gun and shot her in the face, she died two days later.
Following the guilty plea, Keen Warren is likely to serve no more than two years in prison after being jailed since 2017, when she was identified as the alleged killer with the help of newly discovered DNA evidence.
Although the so-called “Killer Clown” may only have two years left in prison, Palm Beach County State's Attorney Dave Aronberg celebrated that Keen was forced to admit her guilt and that she will be a convicted murderer. for life.
“After years of professing her innocence, Sheila Keen Warren was finally forced to admit that she was the one who dressed as a clown and took the life of an innocent victim,” said prosecutor Aronberg. “She will be a convicted murderer for the rest of her days,” he added as quoted by the official Twitter account of the State Attorney's Office, 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida, serving Palm Beach County.
“After years of professing her innocence, Sheila Keen Warren has finally been forced to admit that she was the one who dressed as a clown and took the life of an innocent victim,” State Attorney Dave @aronberg said. “She will be a convicted murderer for the rest of her days.” https://t.co/BXdhhWFvT9
— State Attorney, Palm Beach County (@StateAttorney15) April 26, 2023
Keen Warren has already served six of her agreed 12-year sentence but could be released next year for good behavior, her attorney Greg Rosenfeld told the Associated Press, calling the plea deal an “incredible victory” for Keen Warren and maintained that his client was not the murderer.
The story of the “Killer Clown”
The case dates back to May 26, 1990, when a person dressed as a clown handed 40-year-old Marlene Warren carnations and balloons - including one that read “You're the Greatest” - before shooting her in the face in front of her. of his 21-year-old son.
Investigators suspected Keen Warren of the murder from the outset, tipped off by co-workers that she was in a relationship with Marlene Warren's husband, Michael . Sheila denied the rumors, but she married Michael years later. Michael Warren has not been charged in connection with the death of his ex-wife.