38: The Florida Killer Clown

Insomniacs: The Podcast

In 1990 in Palm Beach County, Florida, Marlene Warren was shot at point-blank range, and killed at her home by a person dressed as a clown, who arrived at her doorstep carrying flowers and balloons. The clown calmly left the scene and drove off in their getaway car, leaving Marlene to die two days later in the hospital. The shooter was described by Marlene's son, who had witnessed the event, to be a six-foot-tall, slender, male figure, although it could not be confirmed, as the incident happened within seconds.

The case remained unsolved for years, but in 2017, authorities arrested a woman named Sheila Keen-Warren, who had married Marlene Warren's husband, Michael Warren, several years after the murder. Sheila was identified as the person who dressed as the clown and carried out the killing. The investigation revealed that she and Michael Warren were having an affair at the time of Marlene's death and were suspected of planning the murder together.
Sheila was charged with first-degree murder, but later took a plea deal for second-degree murder and was sentenced to twelve years in prison in 2023. With the limited evidence in the file, the investigators could not definitively prove that Sheila was the gunman, as they did not have a murder weapon or any evidence to tie her to the crime scene except for synthetic orange fibers and human hair found in the getaway car. The case gained widespread attention due to the bizarre circumstances surrounding the murder and the twenty-seven-year period it took investigators to make an arrest. So if we can say that Sheila planned out the murder of Marlene, but was not the gunman, then who was? There may be at least one unknown killer clown still on the loose!
With that said, Stay Spooky, Stay Safe, and Sweet Dreams!

Thanks to Sean for making this episode super special! You are the best!

SOURCES:

Marlene Warren murder: Florida "killer clown" case ends with unexpected twist after three decades - CBS News

Sheila Keen Warren pleads guilty to shooting husband's 1st wife in 1990 killer clown case - ABC News (go.com)

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