Shivangi Sinha
In June 2008, when the burned remains of Holley Wimunc were discovered about 120 miles from her home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the discovery raised numerous questions. At the time, police were questioning Kyle Alden, who was suspected of helping John Wimunc commit the crime. Initially, Kyle denied any involvement, but after the remains were identified, he confessed and revealed his role in the incident. ABC’s ‘20/20: You Took My Daughter’ features excerpts from his interrogation and sheds light on how he became complicit in the crime.
Kyle Alden Confessed to the Crime Only When Holley Wimunc’s Remains Were Recovered
Kyle Ryan Alden had served in Iraq in 2006 before returning to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was appointed as a Lance Corporal in the US Marine Corps, serving with the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion at Camp Lejeune. By June 2008, he was just 22 years old and shared a close friendship with John Wimunc. When John’s estranged wife, Holley Wimunc, was reported missing and police found suspicious evidence in her home suggesting foul play, attention quickly turned toward John. Although he insisted he was innocent, the history of volatility and domestic abuse allegations cast serious doubt. Investigators became even more suspicious when they learned that, on June 10, 2008, Kyle had asked his fellow servicemen if anyone had a pickup truck.
Holley’s neighbors reported seeing a man running from the scene and a pickup truck nearby around the time of her disappearance. This led police to question Kyle. Though he wasn’t formally arrested or detained, as a member of the military, he was ordered to remain on base while the investigation continued. Kyle initially told investigators that John had called him on June 10, asking him to find a pickup truck to help move some items, but claimed the plan was later canceled. Under growing pressure, Kyle maintained that he had spent that night with his wife. However, when police cross-checked his story, his wife told them the two hadn’t been together that evening. When confronted with this information, Kyle tried to explain the inconsistency by saying his wife probably didn’t remember because she was taking pain medication at the time.
When investigators showed Kyle photos of Holley’s two children, he became visibly emotional. At first, he admitted that on June 10, he had helped John move some items from Holley’s apartment and hadn’t asked many questions. Breaking down, he said he believed she was likely no longer alive. After Holley’s partially burned remains were discovered on July 14, police returned to question him again. This time, Kyle confessed that John had asked him to come to Holley’s apartment and that he had helped move her remains. He revealed that John had admitted to killing his wife during an argument and that he hadn’t pressed for details. Kyle also stated that he witnessed his friend burning the remains and confirmed his own involvement in covering up the crime.
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Kyle Alden’s Confession Helped in Building a Case Against John Wimunc
On July 13, 2008, Kyle Alden was charged with being an accessory to murder, second-degree arson, and conspiracy to commit arson. His confession had helped bring charges against John Wimunc, who ultimately pleaded guilty. In 2010, Kyle pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to a maximum of 62 months (approximately five years and two months) in prison for his role in the crime. He has since completed his sentence and been released in 2012. The last reported institution he was at was the Bladen County Detention Center in Bladen. North Carolina. Since then, he appears to have maintained a low profile, keeping his life largely out of the public eye.
