Cold Case Clown-Killer Pleads Guilty

After 27 years, authorities arrested Sheila Keen-Warren for the 1990 killing of Marlene Warren by an assailant disguised as a clown. Warren answered the door to someone dressed as a clown who handed her balloons and flowers, then pulled out a gun and shot her in the face. Marlene Warren died at the hospital 2 days later.

Sheila Keen became a suspect when authorities found out she was having an affair with Marlene’s husband, Michael. She eventually married him, but no arrest was made for decades.

Sheila Keen-Warren now

In 2014, new DNA evidence was uncovered by modern technology that tied Sheila Keen-Warren to the crime. She was arrested in Virginia in 2017, still married to Michael Keen. The case has been pending since then, but was scheduled to go to trial in the coming weeks.

Sheila Keen-Warren arrest

Mrs. Keen-Warren will be sentenced to 12 years in prison, with some 6 years of credit since her arrest. The charge was under the old guidelines, and before the rule that requires prisoners to serve 85% of their sentences, so she has completed a substantial portion of her sentence. She will likely be out in less than 2 years. Her attorneys insist that she still claims innocence, but accepted the deal to avoid the risk of trial. With as much credit, and imminent release, the plea agreement makes a lot of sense for her. While she may protest her innocence, she has now plead guilty and been convicted of the offense. The family finally has closure.

press clipping from 1990

Casey Anthony Breaks her Silence

Casey Anthony in Court

Casey Anthony spoke publicly for the first time about her case, in which she was accused and acquitted at trial in the death of her infant daughter, Caylee. The case and trial were  media sensation, not just here in Florida, but across the country. She gave a multi-part interview to the AP, which really leaves more questions than it answers. It sounds like she has not maintained a relationship with her parents (her attorney suggested at trial that her father may have been responsible for the death of her child), and she has been living in West Palm Beach, working for the investigator that worked on the case.

 

This is the second time she’s been in the news lately. Last week, Hon. Belvin Perry, the retired judge who had presided over the case and trial, was in the news prognosticating that she may have tried to give the baby chloroform and accidentally caused her death. He concluded it was accidental, in light of no evidence of abuse of the child. That’s just his best-guessing after the fact though, there are no definitive answers as to the real reason for the tragic death of Caylee Anthony.

Florida Man Lists “Drug Dealer” as his Occupation on Booking Sheet

Robert Phillips Mug Shot

Robert Phillips was booked in on an array of 13 different charges a couple days ago in Palm Beach County. He’s no stranger to the law, having been arrested several times before. He’s also no stranger to a life of crime, as he actually listed “drug dealer” as his occupation on his arrest report. No surprise, as deputies indicate they saw him perform a hand-to-hand transaction. He then fled at a high rate of speed, ran into a Michael’s craft store, dropped a loaded handgun, and was apprehended with the help of a police dog when he ran out the back door! Deputies found 22 grams of heroin on him, and several more grams of cocaine in his vehicle.

Robert Phillips Prison Photo

He’s in deep trouble, not just because he has so many charges. If he is convicted of trafficking as charged: that is possessing more than 14 grams of heroin, he is facing a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years, and up to 30 on that charge alone. Looks like he is going to be forced into a career change. He’s been to prison before on drug and weapons offenses. Some people just aren’t cut out for a life of crime.

via Palm Beach Post

FHP Trooper Charged with Three Counts of Grand Theft #badcops

Robert Purser

FHP Trooper Robert Purser set up a company for his side business of scheduling off-duty troopers for details closing down roads. That was legit; but over-billing the construction companies was not. Authorities allege Purser over-billed by more than $200,000 over several years. Purser was dismissed by the agency Wednesday, after 23 years of service.

My first take upon seeing the headline, that billing issues sound more like a civil contract issue than a criminal issue. But delving further, the state may have enough information to show legitimate fraudulent activity. They served the warrant back in January of 2012, and allege that they found fake invoices at his home for work that was never done. That may be consistent with criminal fraud. The article doesn’t indicate whether the trooper was still working in the year-and-a-half-plus that he was being investigated. That could be a lot of cases out the window.