Palm beach county where theyve never seen a bizarre murder like this. She said to her parents, if something happens to me, michael did it. Reporter but was it her husband michael or someone else dressed to kill . We found the woman who likely sold that costume. Said, i need to buy a costume. I said, can you come back tomorrow . No, i know exactly what i want, can i come in . Reporter and what that person may have wanted was murder. How could a case that was so notorious go unsolved all those years . Reporter im david muir. Reporter and im elizabeth vargas, and this is 20 20. Heres deborah roberts. People were concerned it was a mad, crazy clown. This is not fun and games. That was going to show up at your door and shoot you in the face. It was just bizarre. If someone dressed as a clown knocked on my door, i wouldnt open it. This is real life. What is shocking about it is where it happened, because it happened in wellington. Reporter wellington, florida. A hidden jewel in the crown of Palm Beach County, an area synonymous with power and money. The 35th president played here at the oceanside kennedy compound. The 45th wines and dines at the legendary maralago, 126 rooms, 20 acres. Youve got the wellington of the equestrian set where Bruce Springsteen has a house where bill gates is building a fiefdom. Reporter but its not just celebrities whore doing well in wellington. So are most other homeowners, get this, many land their own private planes on a 4000foot runway located smack in the middle of their backyard. The houses were built around a grass airstrip and they all had hangers out back for the owners planes. We call sunday sundown. So you take this out every day. I take it about two, three days a week when i got to the office which is 50 miles. Some people have two car garages, you need a three hangar garage. Reporter ah life at the aero club, offering the wellheeled an option to arrive in style. But back in 1990, an unexpected visitor descended into aero club in a style like no other. On a saturday morning in may just before 11 00am, a colorful character, dressed fully as a clown, drives into the nongated community and heads for an aptlynamed street called take off place. The clown car, so to speak, a White Chrysler lebaron. Inside, a delivery of balloons and a bouquet of flowers. Gifts earmarked for mrs. Marlene warren. She was home with her son and several of his friends. A vehicle pulled up in the driveway, they noticed someone dressed as a clown exit the vehicle and approach the front door. The clown walked to the door. And then marlene answered the door the clown hands her balloons and some flowers, she says oh, how pretty. And ill still remember this fact to this day, one of the balloons said, youre the greatest. The clown pulls out a gun and fires at point blank range into marlenes face. The clown slowly departs. Reporter and then what . Leaves. Reporter jumps in the car yeah, and goes. Reporter and takes off . Thats it. Never to be seen again. Reporter at the time of the shooting, marlenes 22year old son joe is at the home with friends and gets a brief look at his moms killer clown. He remembers seeing the clowns brown eyes as the clown got into a White Chrysler lebaron. Reporter neighbor bill kramer was out walking his dog and remembers a sound. I heard what sounded to me like a nail gun. A gun used in construction to drive nails into hard surfaces. Reporter the former navy pilot sees a commotion at back of the home as joes friends run for cover. Some very excited young people came running out saying something on the order of, theyve shot joeys mother. My wife said, stay there. Ill call 911. Reporter the 40year old mom lingers, but there is no hope. She dies two days later. But why marlene, a woman neighbors barely knew . She was a pleasant acting woman. She was friendly. If id see her in the parking lot or going down the street, wed wave and say hello. And that was about the extent of our relationship. Reporter but those who study crime and construct stories about it, the killer doesnt appear to be a stranger. There was something almost malicious about it. This was a personal crime. It was a very personal kind of crime. This got to be the most recent photograph of marlene we have got. Reporter her still grieving parents say she had no enemies. Marlene was outstanding, friendly, loving, kindness. Do anything for anybody. Always courteous, always respectful. Heres a set of three clowns. Reporter eerily, mom shirley says the family always liked clowns. In fact, heres their circus room in their home. I kind of look at this one right here and say hey, things will turn out all right. I feel hes sad because marlene was killed. Did you buy these after marlene was killed . I had them even before. Marlene hauntingly, painted this one as a young girl. This picture here is a painting of a clown. Marlene painted it when she was a teenager and i think its quite a coincidence. And ill keep it forever, that is for sure. And its just a shame that somebody took her away from us at 40yearsold. This was taken two, three years before she got murdered. Reporter she was also taken away from her husband of 18 years, Michael Warren, a selfmade man. Confident, thats the word. Very confident about everything. Reporter but former neighbor john herring says he seemed to be a fish out of water. Reporter rough around the edges . A little rough around the edges. Reporter were they a part of the community . In the wellington area, you would you knew almost everybody. And you would go to the country club or to the grocery store. Michael wasnt part of that. You never ran into him anywhere. As one guy once described it to me he had that used car rentawreck kinda personality. Reporter and an occupation that goes with it. At the time of the murder, Michael Warren was running a used car lot and rental car agency. A lot of the cars were not the best cars to buy. It was one of those places that you went if you had really bad credit and you needed something to drive. Reporter while warren doesnt appear to be a guy looking for trouble, somehow, trouble seems to find him. Things were always happening to him. His plane disappeared once. And it shows up somewhere with a broken engine, nobody knows what happened. He had race horses at one point and one horse shows up dead. And the guy said to me he was that kinda guy. Reporter while theres nothing in warrens history to suggest he or anyone in his family, would be the target of murder crime reporters from back in the day sensed something was amiss. Now youre thinking youre just going to cover yet another shooting and then you hear that this is police are looking for an assailant who was wearing a costume, not just a costume, a clown costume. It made sense that the murderer the killer had to have known or been associated with the family in some way. Reporter a family seemingly in crisis. Marlene telling her parents the marriage was rocky, but the Family Businesses reportedly made things more complex. A lot of the properties that she and michael, her husband, owned, were in her name, and so if there was ever to be a divorce, it would have been a complicated one. Reporter the newspapers back then run with speculation michael may have a mistress and theres this curious comment from marlene to her parents. She said to her parents, if something happens to me, michael did it. Reporter and when something does happen to marlene, wellington is on edge. It was the shock of this crime, because all of the sudden, they were betrayed in their sense of, of safety and security. Reporter up next who is this demon in disguise . And why is Marlene Warren a target . Investigators know how hard it is to climb inside the mind of a killer. Motive . Love triangle, money, greed, it could be a lotta things. Reporter and did this Costume Store employee unknowingly help dress a killer clown . I said, can you come back tomorrow, were closed. No, i really need this tonight. Reporter and did that killer somehow know about the familys fascination with clowns . When we return. [narrator] what if your shark vacuum could clean almost anywhere, all on its own. Presenting the shark ion robot. It maneuvers from floors to carpets. And uses smart sensor navigation to spot trouble, and steer around it. This robot is a shark that cleans, docks, and charges automatically. The shark ion robot. Protein. Not just for knives and forks anymore. well yes a soup in the right direction. Well yes but he hasoke up wwork to do. In. So he took aleve. If hed taken tylenol, hed be stopping for more pills right now. Only aleve has the strength to stop tough pain for up to 12 hours with just one pill. Aleve. All day strong. Get an instant pot or air sale fryer just 99. 99 cuddl duds sheets or throws 29. 99 plus take an extra 20 off when you spend 100 or more youll get kohls cash too. Right now at kohls. I wanti did my ancestrydna and where i came from. And i couldnt wait to get my pie chart. The most shocking result was that im 26 native american. I had no idea. Just to know this is what im made of, this is where my ancestors came from. And i absolutely want to know more about my native american heritage. Its opened up a whole new world for me. Discover the story only your dna can tell. Order your kit now at ancestrydna. Com. With some big news about type 2 diabetes. You have type 2 diabetes, right . Yes. So let me ask you this. How does diabetes affect your heart . It doesnt, does it . Actually, it does. Type 2 diabetes can make you twice as likely to die from a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack or stroke. And with Heart Disease, your risk is even higher. You didnt know that. No. Yeah. But, wait, theres good news for adults who have type 2 diabetes and Heart Disease. Jardiance is the only type 2 diabetes pill with a lifesaving cardiovascular benefit. Jardiance is proven to both significantly reduce the chance of dying from a cardiovascular event in adults who have type 2 diabetes and Heart Disease and lower your a1c. Jardiance can cause serious side effects including dehydration. This may cause you to feel dizzy, faint, or lightheaded, or weak upon standing. Ketoacidosis is a serious side effect that may be fatal. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, and trouble breathing. Stop taking jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of ketoacidosis or an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, swelling, and difficulty breathing or swallowing. Do not take jardiance if you are on dialysis or have severe kidney problems. Other side effects are sudden kidney problems, genital yeast infections, increased bad cholesterol, and urinary tract infections, which may be serious. Taking jardiance with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions. So now that you know all that, what do you think . That its time to think about jardiance. Ask your doctor about jardiance. And get to the heart of what matters. Announcer 20 20 continues. Reporter how does 40year old Marlene Warren married and moneyed wind up in a palm beach co. Cemetery . Detectives conduct surveillance monitoring who showed and who didnt at her burial. Theres also leads to run down. Which lead detectives to Deborah Offord and Barbara Castricone who used to run a costume shop in town 1 of only 3 in Palm Beach County at the time. There were only a handful of us back then. There wasnt you know internet shopping like there is today, even catalogs. Reporter in the hours leading up to the murder deborah recalls a persistent customer who arrives after closing time. So you had a knock at the door . Right. And then what . She said i need to buy a costume, and i said, can you come back tomorrow, were closed. And no, i really need to get a costume tonight. Reporter the urgency understandable if it was halloween. But its may. And the customer isnt looking for just any outfit. Full on circus clown hair and makeup designed to delight or terrify. A rubies clown costume, an afro clown wig, bob kelly clown makeup and a sponge nose. Reporter deborah offers police a description id say probably around 5 8. Brown eyes, long, chocolate hair, and jeans, and a mens work shirt. Do you remember how much . I think the sale was like either 79 or 89 dollars. I sort of almost can see the sales receipt. Cash. Cash. Reporter after lots of questions from the detectives barbara can no longer contain her curiosity. Did you know why they were asking . I said, could i ask please what this is in reference to . He said, well, youre probably going to read about it all over the papers tomorrow morning, but a woman was shot at her front door by a person dressed in a clown costume bearing flowers and balloons, and he shot her in the face, and my heart dropped. Reporter those two balloons would offer up a small clue. One reading youre the greatest. One of them was an unusual balloon, believe it or not, and it was only sold at one of the Publix Grocery stores in Palm Beach County. Reporter clerks at that same publix tell police that the same person also bought flowers. Former reporter jim dipaola was covering the story for the sun sentinel at the time. They were like, we know who the killer might be because we saw that person come and buy the same exact stuff youre talking about 90 minutes before the murder. Reporter the biggest clue of all still hiding in plain sight. Theyre looking for the Chrysler Lebaron. Reporter four days after the murder, the white 2door is located. Detectives found the car at this Royal Palm BeachShopping Plaza only 5miles from where the shooting occurred. Reporter theres no murder weapon inside, and curiously, no fingerprints. Detectives meantime are looking for any scrap of evidence so far theyve been relatively quiet about the new lead but theres hope that this will be a break in the investigation. Reporter police are reportedly quizzing Business Associates of Michael Warren who confirm his dead wifes suspicions about michael cheating. There were rumors that mr. Warren was having an affair with a specific woman that used to repossess cars for him. Reporter that woman is sheila keen. Sheila was a glades girl. Sheila grew up in the small towns, on the outskirts of the everglades near lake okeechobee. She was country, she was attractive, the boys liked her, and she liked money, she wanted a rich life. She wanted nice things. Reporter and Michael Warren could offer some nice things. It started with a paycheck. Warren was in the business of selling cars. Sheila in the business of repossessing them from his deadbeat customers. And she apparently was tough as nails. People said that she would go to any neighborhood at any time of the day or night and pull her flatbed truck up and take a car. She was fearless. Reporter but both deny any romantic relationship. When they asked mr. Warren about the supposed affair with sheila keen he denied it. And it was he said she said. Employees said that they would leave for long lunches together. Reporter slowly but surely dark clouds of suspicion gathering in the Sunshine State and sheila keen squarely in the cops crosshairs especially when they get wind of this. She allegedly went to an Auto Parts Store to entertain the owners young children. Reporter and speaking of disguises the 27 year old was married to someone who might have worn one himself. She marries a guy 20 years older than her, was a member of the klan. And she fell in love with him. Reporter when her short marriage sputters out, police say thats when she is suddenly free to spend time with the wealthy mike warren. So Michael Warren was paying for an apartment for sheila keen. Yes, thats according to the police, thats correct. The other residents at the complex where sheila lived said we thought michael and sheila were married, he was there so often. Reporter detectives get a search warrant for sheilas apartment confiscating some of her clothes and obtain samples of her hair. They also take a long hard look at the widower who they say stands to benefit from marlenes murder including; a Life Insurance policy covering the victim. Full control of the family business. Plus that home at aero club. In all a seven figure possible payout for the grieving husband. We were riding around wellington and i told him. I says, mike, i says, i dont think that you done it. But i know pretty damn well that you know more about it than youre lettin out. And he says, honest. Honest, bill. He says, i dont know. Reporter honestly, things are about to get even stickier for Michael Warren. Remember that getaway car . The abandoned Chrysler Lebaron . Police have been able to link it back to a car lot in west palm beach. Thats right. Michael warrens car lot. Reporter when we come back the wealthy wellingtonites think the pieces of a puzzle are coming together. You ask him i asked him. To his face, did you uhhuh. Kill your wife . Well said did you have anything to do with it . So why for almost 27 years does the case go ice cold . How is it that police would not have arrested her in the least on that evidence . Its not illegal to buy balloons or a costume. Reporter stay with us. I rode shotgun in lead humvee and i looked for bombs. Stop short. I dont see nothin man. You dont see it, he feels it. You are my hammer out there. Dont let these young guys see you fold. Im only human, i make mistakes im only human, thats all it takes to put the blame on me im alive because of you. Im not a hero. Were brothers, we look after each other. Thank you for your service. Rated r. Real energy harnessed from the earth. Nature valley. I love you, droolius caesar, but sometimes you stink. Febreze car vent clip cleans away odors for up to 30 days. Because the things you love can stink. Is it our 80year heritage . Or is it the fresh taste, actually, its both. Only then do you get to be called ragu. Simmered in tradition. Hot. Hot. Hot augh. Augh. Ahhh. The lg sidekick washer. For small loads that cant wait. If you can train oxford to sit. Sit you can train yourself to cook with less oil. Introducing new pam spray pump made with extra virgin olive oil. Now you can pump instead of pour, plus get the superior nonstick you love. New pam spray pump. Gointoilet paper run, need anything . Hair spray bark snickers bitesized. Im on it. Get new, lower prices on thousands of items. Target run done. For her compassion and care. He spent decades fighting to give families a second chance. But to help others, they first had to protect themselves. I have afib. Even for a nurse, its complicated. And it puts me at higher risk of stroke. That would be devastating. I had to learn all i could to help protect myself. Once i got the facts, my doctor and i chose xarelto®. Xarelto®. To help keep me protected. Oncedaily xarelto®, a latestgeneration blood thinner. Significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. It has similar effectiveness to warfarin. Xarelto® works differently. Warfarin interferes with at least 6 bloodclotting factors. Xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor interacting with less of your bodys natural bloodclotting function. For afib patients wellmanaged on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. Dont stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of stroke. While taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. It may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. Xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. Get help right away for unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. If youve had spinal anesthesia, watch for back pain or any nerve or musclerelated signs or symptoms. Do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. Tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures. And before starting xarelto®about any conditions, such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. Its important to learn all you can. To help protect yourself from a stroke. Talk to your doctor about xarelto®. Theres more to know™. Announcer we return to more of 20 20. Reporter the clowncentric horror blockbuster it has become an International Sensation this year, becoming the top horror film of all time, but in 1990 it was real. In the weeks and months following the murder committed by a clown the local clown economy takes a hit. Nobody wanted to hire them, the kids were afraid of them. The last thing a kid wants to see at their party is a clown. The bozo backlash impacted longtime entertainers like Selim Salguero who suddenly finds himself persona non grata. Everybody was very apprehensive about having a clown come to your, um, to a party, to an event because of, uh, they didnt know who this killer clown was. Reporter meanwhile, Michael Warren is also having trouble at his job. Police are digging into his background during the murder investigation, uncovering something shady on his used car lot. Seen in the movie used cars. Youre not going to find another deal like this in town. Warren is charged, but not for murder. Mike warren is accused of 66 crimes in connection with the way he ran his failed auto dealership in west palm beach. I mean, theres so many aspects to this that that are strange. Reporter bestselling author, and florida native carl hiaasen is fascinated by all the twists and turns in the case. Maybe theres good money in odometer tampering. You know, who knew . Reporter Michael Warren sure knew. He magically turned old cars new again, rolling back the odometers, adding value to the cars, allowing him to sell them for more to unsuspecting buyers, and it was in a very large number of cars that, that had happened. Warren is convicted of 43 counts of racketeering, theft, and the odometer rollbacks, but neither he, nor his alleged mistress are charged in that costumewearing, guntoting murder of marlene. He maintains his innocence in that crime, and has an alibi. Michael spent a lot of time at racetracks, and he was on i95 headed to calder racetrack in miami during the time of the murder, and he had friends with him in the car, so he had an alibi. Reporter good news for sheila. She says she has one too. Sheila said that she could not possibly have committed this crime because she was out repoing cars at the time. Reporter but the bad news, the evidence seems to point to her. For starters, the description from those costume shop employees who i. Dd sheila from a photo shown to them by police. If you look at this picture, do you see a resemblance to the woman you saw in here, possibly . Yes. Reporter and dont forget the getaway car. Inside . Turns out some pretty compelling evidence. The investigators found a few things in the White Chrysler lebaron that the clown allegedly had made the getaway in. There were orange fibers that could have come from a clown wig, and apparently a few hairs as well, human hair. Reporter human hair chocolatebrown human hair the color of sheilas, and remember when police searched her apartment they took hair samples. Might they match . And, there are those props bought by someone clerks say matches sheilas description at a publix located, by the way, just 1500 feet from sheilas old apartment. They were able to potentially link her to the flowers and the balloons. So how is it that police would not have arrested her in the very least on that evidence . Its not illegal to buy balloons or a costume, and nobody at the scene could say that that was sheila keen because whoever the killer was, was wearing a clown suit with makeup. Reporter bottom line, prosecutors felt there simply wasnt enough evidence to get a conviction, and with that the unsolved mystery fades from the headlines. Once the murder happened, and the headlines kind of died down, and there were other horrific murders to cover unfortunately marlene kind of got lost. It didnt stay in the headlines. No, not that way. Reporter behind the scenes theres lots of talk about the case, and a differing of opinion on how to move forward. Some of the people that were investigating the crime felt they had enough evidence to maybe, make, go ahead and make an arrest, and some of the detectives were upset that the state Attorneys Office kept saying no we want more evidence. There were reports that sheila keen had dressed as a clown previously at some other office event, that someone fitting her description had been seen buying flowers, that someone fitting her description had been seen buying a clown costume. It would seem that thats pretty strong circumstantial evidence. Its not about the police or the state Attorneys Office not connecting dots or failing in any way. Everybody worked diligently on this case. Its just being patient enough to make sure that when we prosecute somebody for firstdegreemurder, we intend on getting justice for that victim, and the victims family, and we want to make sure that we do it right. Reporter no arrest. No progress. Only suspicion, especially from warrens neighbor john herring. When i asked him, did you do it, and he said, of course not. You asked him i asked him. To his face, did you uhhuh. Kill your wife . Yeah. Well, i said, did you have anything to do with it . He says, no, of course not. I said, good. Reporter on new years eve 1997, Michael Warren has something to celebrate hes released early after serving only 3 ½ years of his sentence for the odometer tampering, and maps out a new life for himself coming up a neon clue . Will a vegas wedding at the chapel of love add some heat to a very old case . Stay with us. Things than de for better rheumatiod arthritis. Before you and your rheumatologist move to another treatment, ask if xeljanz xr is right for you. Xeljanz xr is a oncedaily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. It can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. Xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. Dont start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. Tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. Your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Xeljanz xr can reduce the symptoms of ra, even without methotrexate. Ask your rheumatologist about xeljanz xr. For you, its always now over later. And pause. Not even in your vocabulary. So when a cold sore tingle strikes you act on it. Only abreva can heal a cold sore in as little as two and a half days when used at the first sign. It starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells. Nothing heals a cold sore faster. And because abreva acts on it. You can too. Act on it, with abreva. Announcer 20 20 continues. Once again, deborah roberts. Reporter our story now shifts in time and location, 14 years later far from the palm trees, sunny beaches and Luxury Yachts of palm beach, florida, 835 miles to be exact, to the lovely, quaint town of abingdon, virginia nestled in the Majestic Blue ridge mountains. We kind of combine the best of both worlds, we have that small town charm. People come here to stay, and enjoy the culture, and then they go enjoy the Great Outdoors as well. Reporter and its here in this leafy, rural area that two out of towners buy a prime piece of property in 2004, building this 4100 square foot home in an exclusive subdivision, and the house looks even better from the back. Its right on the lake where you can see the owners private dock and watercraft. Theyre very friendly, outgoing, nice. Reporter neighbors brook and rocky blevins become Close Friends with the newcomers known to them as debbie and mike. He was a happy, affectionate type person. They would hug you when youd go see them. If you needed something, youd call them and theyd be there. Reporter to the blevins its clear that mike and debbie are head over heels in love with each other. They were very close and it was a connection of, their smile at each other, the twinkle of their eye. They were very much in love, very close. In fact mike and debbie even Work Together running their business just across the state border in kingsport, tennessee. The two operate the purple cow, a quirky and popular drivethrough fast food joint known for its signature steak bomb, dancing hot dogs, and cows that greet you at the curb. Heres mike on the purple cows yelp page, boasting, i have been in the Food Industry since i was 15 years old. My love for food is great. He prided himself in that, mike. He is a terrific cook, but they had a tremendous business. They both were the ones that prepped the food. They worked long hours. Reporter but it turns out that sociable, hardworking couple has a dark past. Mike, the friendly burger flipping owner of the purple cow is none other than Michael Warren whose wife marlene was gunned down 14 years earlier by that killer dressed as a clown. As for debbie, shes actually sheila keen, the Person Police suspected of being that killer clown, who despite circumstantial evidence pointing her way was never charged with the crime. Even some of the investigators in the case were surprised that there was no indictment, because everything sort of lined up, pointing to sheila keen being the clown, and Michael Warren somehow being involved, but it was all circumstantial. Reporter still, theres something astonishing authorities in florida may not have known. When mike warren gets out of prison after serving more than three years on that odometer fraud conviction, he and keen hook up in the marriage capital of the world. Thats right vegas in a tait tasteful and understated ceremony at the little White Wedding chapel in 2002, michael marries sheila, his former alleged mistress, and the prime suspect in his wifes death. The weird thing is that they would hang together that long,start a business, get married as if nothing ever happened. It takes a certain amount of nerve to do it that way. Reporter and for 15 years, the two love birds make their quiet nest in abingdon, just last year, selling the purple cow, and retiring to enjoy life at their lakefront home. They finally started living their lives instead of working. They seemed very open. He just seemed to be a happy laid back kind of guy. Reporter but other neighbors say they see a different side of that rough around the edges former used car dealer. Vicki and John Chittester say they have a nasty run in with Michael Warren after he suddenly shows up at their lakeside property, trying to haul away rocks with his tractor. I told him to put down the rocks and get off our property. He said, cant we be neighborly about this . I told, i said, the neighborly thing would be to call over and ask if you can come over here and do that. He said, [ bleep ] you. Hes like, what are you going to do, you scrawny i said, ill tell you what im going to do you fat ass, but he wouldnt get off the tractor. So he unloaded the rock. He was a bully. Somebody who thinks hes going to get what he wants. Yes, uh, exactly. Reporter mike and debbie may want nothing more than to continue their mundane, lowkey suburban existence, but sometimes you just cant bury the past, especially when it involves a bizarre and notorious crime involving a killer clown thats still alive in the minds of some people back in florida. It was like an urban legend. The fact that it was never solved it just went on, and on, and on. In may, which was the 27th anniversary of the killing, my editor said, well, lets, lets relook at this. Reporter while marshalls writing that anniversary article for the palm beach post, a breakthrough, her researcher uncovers those startling facts on michael and sheila, make that debbies new lives. She found that Michael Warren and sheila keen had gotten married. She also found that they were living in abingdon, virginia in the blue ridge mountains. Reporter the warrens new private life is now public, out there for all to see. Will they be able to enjoy that quiet retirement much longer before someone comes knocking on the door . Our agency received a call in regards to the murder of an individual that occurred back in 1990. Reporter coming up could a 27 year old cold case end with the tears of a clown . Stay tuned. Youve got a strange effect on me, and i like it you make the world seem right, you make the darkness bright, oh yes. Youve got a strange effect on me, and i like it. An epic flavor. Its cranberry. Its pineapple. And theres no. Sugar. Added. Cranberry pineapple 100 juice. The next big thing to hit the juice aisle. Get an instant pot or air salee. Fryer just 99. 99 cuddl duds sheets or throws 29. 99 plus take an extra 20 off when you spend 100 or more youll get kohls cash too. Right now at kohls. Did you take all the tequila lime sauce . Maaaybe i did. Maaaybe i didnt. Whoa im gonna fall you cant. Youre an old el paso stand n stuff taco. Youre a stand n stuff taco . What are you doing . . I thought you had a cold . I dont need all this. Mucinex fastmax can handle pretty much every symptom. Even. Yea i can read, you know. Ahhh mucinex fastmax. 9 symptoms. 1 dose. Max strength. Lets end this. You get a companion ticketes visaevery year. Card so why not take. Me . I mean i always spell your name right. Seriously, take me, i cant listen to this playlist any longer. Im thinking mexico, and im a quick packer. Announcer we return to more of 20 20. Reporter its august in bucolic abingdon, virginia where Violent Crime on a scale from 1 to 100 is a lowly 13. Sheriff fred newman receives an unexpected call from his counterpart in Palm Beach County, florida. Our agency received a call in regards to the murder of an individual that occurred back in 1990. Reporter not just any cold case sheriff newman is told but an infamous murder that made headlines in south florida. Ive been sheriff of our county for 18 years. We have never encountered any type of a murder of that nature. Reporter florida authorities want the sheriff to track down the key suspect that woman known locally as debbie. Of course debbie is none other than sheila keen now married to Michael Warren the husband of the murder victim. They live in a very upscale neighborhood. They kept a very low profile. They, i guess, sort of flew under the radar if you would. Reporter but the sheriff and his deputies are zeroed in on sheila now. And just last month on september 26th a trap is set after the warrens are spotted leaving their home in their cadillac suv. Vehicles were strategically placed along various locations and observed the black Cadillac Escalade as it was travelling. Reporter and just as the warrens are returning the trap is sprung. The couples escalade stopped and surrounded as her husband michael looks on sheila is placed in custody. I did not notice anything from a standpoint of being distraught. Somewhat surprised, i guess. If you would. I think reasonably calm for the most part. She was placed in one of our patrol vehicles, handcuffed, and transported to the regional jail. Reporter sheila keenwarren not only with a new last name, but a new hair color blonde charged with the murder of Marlene Warren. Another photo of the accused killer clown oddly showing her smiling while in custody reminiscent of this mug shot taken when she was 21 convicted for shoplifting. When the case went cold a lotta people forgot about it. Yeah. Did it ever go off the radar for investigators . No. I can tell you right now, we probably have 300 cases that are unsolved cold cases. None of em are off the radar. Police in florida arresting a female suspect. Reporter sheila warrens arrest makes headlines nationwide the sheer novelty of a cold case involving a killer clown seemingly cracked after 27 years proves to be a huge, irresistible story. Detectives always suspected sheila, but couldnt prove it. Reporter the burning question just how do Authorities Say they cracked the case that has vexed investigators for nearly three decades . They say the breakthrough was through something that didnt exist back in 1990 sophisticated dna testing. We were able to do that with new technologies in dna and we were able to complete the puzzle. How confident are you that you have the shooter . 100 . 100 . No doubt. When when youre talkin dna, they will be able to tell you that its you to the exclusions of millions and millions of people, all right . Plus, the area that this was captured in can only be what the perpetrator was involved in. Reporter while authorities are intentionally vague on exactly what they tested and how remember, back in 1990, investigators reportedly found orange fibers possibly from a wig and hair in that Chrysler Lebaron believed to be the getaway car. If they found hair, the statistics are basically one out of 10,000. If they found blood, great. That would give you a slamdunk because you would end up with statistics of one in trillions. Can you really go back 27 years and test evidence for todays Dna Technology and make a case . Yeah, without a doubt. As along as the dna has been preserved cold and dry. The testing has gotten so incredibly sensitive. So specific. Theres no way out. Theyre going to get results. Reporter back in abingdon, virginia shock and bewilderment after that Friendly Neighbor debbie is charged with first degree murder. Ive been in shock ever since. Yeah, couldnt believe it. Still dont. Just hope and pray that shes not guilty. Reporter the blevins say since debbies arrest her loving husband mike has been holed up in his home apparently in a state of stunned disbelief. Very distraught, which he would be. He told me, he said, you know she didnt do this. He says, so kind hearted. I say, well, absolutely. Thats why this whole thing is just so hard to believe. Reporter for Marlene Warrens parents, its not hard to believe at all. It simply confirms their decadesold suspicion. I turned angry when i heard mike had married sheila. Angry. Remembering that she killed my daughter, and he marries her . You know theres gotta be something there. Reporter when we come back does Michael Warren have anything to worry about . So there could be another arrest . The answer to that is, yet to be determined. Reporter next what hes saying only to 20 20 tonight and the stiff price prosecutors want sheila to pay for the murder of marlene. Stay with us. hard exhalation honey . Can we do this tomorrow . grunts of effort can we do this tomorrow . If you have Heart Failure symptoms, your risk of hospitalization could increase, making tomorrow uncertain. But entresto is a medicine that was proven, in the largest Heart Failure study ever, to help more people stay alive and out of the hospital than a leading Heart Failure medicine. Women who are pregnant must not take entresto. It can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Dont take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren. If youve had angioedema while taking an ace or arb medicine, dont take entresto. The most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high potassium in your blood. Tomorrow, tomorrow. When can we do this again, grandpa . Well, how about tomorrow . Ask your doctor about entresto and help make tomorrow possible. Ask your doctor cilantro. About entresto parsley. Spinach. Basil. Toothpicks . Campbells slow kettle chef crafted soups. Mm can i get some more spinach . Made for real, real life. My shoulders carry some i deserve others i dont but in the end only one name really matters because shoulders were made for greatness, not dandruff [announcer] presenting the shark ion flex 2x. The freestanding, cord free vacuum that can live anywhere because it has two rechargeable batteries. That means you can always be charging, even while youre cleaning. With duo clean, multiflex, and powerful suction so you can go, and go, and go again. Welcome to hasslefree runtime with shark. Gointoilet paper run, need anything . Hair spray bark snickers bitesized. Im on it. Get new, lower prices on thousands of items. Target run done. Reporter talk about october blues. Now a woman accused of dressing up as a clown and killing her lovers wife is finally in custody. Reporter just two weeks ago, sheila keen warren finding herself plucked from obscurity in virginia and extradited back to infamy in florida facing charges of firstdegree murder with a firearm. Its a crime thats taken so long to bring to trial, state attorney Dave Aronberg was still in college when it happened. Sometimes justice can be delayed but justice eventually arrives. Reporter accused killer clown warren doesnt exactly play to the crowd in her first appearance before a judge playing the mime instead obscuring her face with her hair, turning away from courtroom cameras. State is seeking no bond, your honor. Reporter she later pleads not guilty. She vehemently denies any involvement. Reporter and while this all has the air of a media circus, aronberg struck a sobering and serious tone at his press Conference Announcing the state will pursue the maximum penalty. We filed the notice of intent to seek the Death Penalty today just now with the court. This is a death eligible case, but i would bet that the prosecutors are using it to some degree to put pressure on her to plead guilty and or potentially come clean about her husbands role, if any. Reporter as for her husband, formally married to murder victim Marlene Warren . Tonight hes telling 20 20 that sheila is falsely accused and that this is very serious and very unfair. Investigators are mum on whether he might face charges. I cant speak specifically to michael were going to investigate anyone who may be culpable and well make a decision on prosecutions as appropriate. Reporter meantime back in Palm Beach County theres a sense of relief that theres possibly an end to a bizarre and chilling murder case. When you heard that 27 years later that police had made an arrest, what did you think of that . I was happy cause i think there should be justice. We felt like, okay, theres the end of that story thats been open and forgotten. I think that we were just glad that its wow, thats done. Its about time that this case comes to a close. Thats people look at clowns with more of a happy type of look and not so, uh, scary it type of costume. Everybody wants this to sort of be put to rest. And i feel for her family. They need closure more than anyone else. If youre the family of the victim its bittersweet because you finally somebodys been arrested. But the idea that it took 27 years has gotta be frustrating and and a little bit perplexing as well. This is the entrance to our clown room. She liked the clowns when she was a little girl. I come in here, i think of her. Reporter emotions still raw all these years later for Marlene Warrens parents. I feel like crying. Those nasty people. You cant tell me that he didnt know. No way in heck. She got away with it for so long. If theres a hell, i hope she rots in it. Strong words from a mother still groving. Sheila warren is slated to be in court for a hearing on november 13th. Thats our program for tonight. Thanks so much for watching. From all of ous here at 20 20 and abc news. Thanks for watching. Have a good evening. Tears and laughter. The healing process begins in the healing process begins in santa rosa as fire at Stanford Health care, the healing process begins in santa rosa as fire we can now repair complex aortic aneurysms without invasive surgery. If we can do that, imagine what we can do for varicose veins. And if we can precisely treat eye cancer with minimal damage to the rest of the eye, imagine what we can do for glaucoma, even cataracts. If we can use dna to diagnose the rarest of diseases, imagine what we can do for the conditions that affect us all. Imagine what we can do for you