Naman Shrestha
In ABC’s ’20/20: The Case of the Killer Clown’ and AMC’s ‘The Killer Clown: Murder on the Doorstep,’ we get an in-depth account of the shocking murder of Marlene Warren in 1990 inside her Florida house, which she shared with her husband, Michael Warren, and son, Joseph “Joe” Ahrens. When an individual dressed up as a clown killed her, the entire community was left shell-shocked, while grief took over her loved ones. Despite the best efforts from the authorities, the case would remain unsolved for decades until a shocking revelation led them right to the perpetrator.
Marlene Warren Was a Doting Mother of Two by the Age of 18
On April 15, 1950, Leonard Lyle McKinnon and Shirley Ann Schwartz Twing were blessed with a baby girl in Mount Clemons in Macomb County, Michigan. Already parents to a daughter at the time, the pair named their little bundle of joy Marlene Mae McKinnon. Soon, the duo welcomed another girl, and the McKinnon family was complete. She had a great childhood and was engulfed by the immense love of her parents and sisters. Marlene also shared a tight bond with her grandfather. Growing up, she would mostly be found at the farm her grandpa owned in a quaint village near Detroit. As a kid, Marlene was a fan of clowns; in fact, she even got her parents to turn her room into a clown-themed safe space for her.
She grew up to be a tenacious and kind woman who went on to marry in her late teens. By the time Marlene turned 18, she was a mother of two sons — John Arthur “Johnny” Ahrens Jr and Joseph Ahrens. Her world revolved around her kids and her husband. However, just two years later, it all turned upside down when their marriage ended. Marlene became a single mother at just the age of 20, but she was determined to do whatever it took to give her sons a bright and better future. In the same year, her paths crossed with 18-year-old Michael Warren, and they quickly formed a deep connection. One thing led to another, and the two tied the knot in the presence of their loved ones a few years later. Marlene and Michael were devoted to each other. The former was grateful for how the latter loved and embraced her sons, and vice versa.
Marlene Warren Met Her Demise Inside Her House in Wellington
After relocating to Florida, the Warrens started a new life. Michael ran a lucrative car lot business, and the duo also began investing in real estate, which subsequently yielded good returns. All in all, they were leading a comfortable life and had everything going for them. However, the family was left devastated when John passed away due to a car accident in 1988. While nothing could fill in the void left by John’s passing, Michael, Marlene and Joe moved forward by cherishing his memories and keeping his spirit alive in their hearts. By the time 1990 rolled around, the Warrens had become quite successful in the charming suburb of Wellington in Palm Beach County, with multiple businesses, including the aforementioned car lot and rental company called Bargain Motors.
On May 26, 1990, Joe had some friends over for breakfast. Being the doting mom that she was, Marlene was busy prepping some treats for the kids when the doorbell rang. Marlene opened the door and was greeted by a person wearing a clown costume and makeup. Before she could process anything, the individual gave her a few balloons and proceeded to fire at her from a point-blank range. She was critically wounded but alive and was immediately taken to a hospital. The 40-year-old had to be placed on life support, with the family hoping for her recovery. Unfortunately, it never came to be. As Marlene’s condition never improved, she was taken off life support on Memorial Day, May 28. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. With no other evidence apart from balloons and flowers obtained from the residence of the Warrens, the police launched an extensive investigation.
Marlene’s Husband Was Initially Suspected to be Responsible For the Killing
During the investigation, the detectives learned about some dark truths about the marriage between Marlene and Michael Warren. The former reportedly suspected him of being involved in an extramarital affair at the time of the murder, making him a person of interest in the eyes of the law. However, he had a solid alibi as he was on his way to Miami with his friends when the shooting occurred in the Wellington residence. Thus, as part of their search for the truth, the authorities also paid a visit to the family car dealership business, Bargain Motors, where they found out about his possible affair with one of his employees, Sheila Keen, who repossessed cars from the lenders. The detectives brought both Michael and Sheila in for questioning separately.
When asked about the alleged affair, they claimed that they were just colleagues and friends. For her alibi, Sheila claimed that she was out repoing cars at the time of Marlene’s killing. She also denied ever owning a clown suit. Although there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest her, she agreed to submit a sample of her hair for evidential purposes. Expanding their investigation, the detectives also got in touch with several local stores, including a Publix located near the crime scene and a clown shop in West Palm Beach. The owner of the latter claimed that a woman had purchased an entire clown costume, except for the shoes, a couple of nights before the murder. Among a photo lineup, which included Sheila, the owner identified her and another woman as the possible customer.
More evidence followed when the Chrysler LeBaron, the car driven by the clown, was spotted in an abandoned parking lot on May 30, 1990. Upon searching the car, they found a few fibers from the clown wig, which would turn out to be critical decades later. In the following months, police suspected Bargain Motors of being involved in a series of fraudulent activities. In October 1990, when the car lot was raided, they found evidence of racketeering and odometer fraud. As a result, on October 26, he was arrested and charged with 66 counts, including odometer tampering, grand theft, and racketeering. Thus, Michael was convicted of 43 of those counts and sentenced to nine years in prison.
It Took Several Decades For the Killer to be Brought to Justice
He was released earlier in 1997, after which he reportedly started dating Sheila Keen, who had changed her name to Debbie. In order to start afresh, the couple relocated to Abingdon, Virginia. There, he operated a fast-food joint called Purple Cow while living in a sprawling mansion with Sheila. In 2002, they tied the knot. When the police refocused on the unsolved case of Marlene Warren’s murder, they learned about Debbie being an alias for Sheila and the marriage between her and Michael Warren. With new technology at their disposal, the authorities tested the hair sample they had collected from Sheila several years ago against a strand of hair they found on the balloon at the crime scene. They came out to be a match. Thus, she was arrested for first-degree murder on September 26, 2017, in Virginia.
After she was extradited to Florida, she pleaded not guilty. However, after spending several years behind bars, awaiting trial, she had a change of heart and on April 25, 2023, she took a guilty plea for second-degree murder and a reduced sentence. Sheila Keen was ultimately sentenced to 12 years in prison. Due to credit for time served and several sentencing guidelines, she would be out in 16 to 18 months. Thus, on November 2, 2024, she was released from prison as she was given credit for her good behavior and time served. As for Michael Warren, he has not been charged with any involvement in the crime.
Read More: Where is Sheila Keen-Warren Now? Update on the Killer Clown
