What happened to Marlene Warren? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on ID

Marlene Warren was a resident of Wellington, Florida, when she was fatally shot down by a killer dressed as a clown. The horrifying incident took place on May 26, 1990. However, the killer clown was not identified for almost three decades.

The killer was later identified as Sheila Keen-Warren. Marlene Warren was married to Mike Warren in 1972, and the couple built a successful chain of businesses in Florida. However, Mike was allegedly having an affair with one of his employees (Sheila Keen). Sheila Keen dressed up as a clown, killed Marlene in 1990, and later got married to Mike in 2002.

The chilling murder case has been explored in detail in the upcoming episode of 48 Hours on Investigation Discovery. The official synopsis of the episode titled Murder by Clown reads:

"Florida 1990, Marlene Warren was shot and killed by Sheila Keen Warren who was dressed as a clown to deliver balloons and flowers to Marlene's home. Marlene's son witnessed the shooting. The case went cold for decades until it was solved by DNA in 2017."

The episode originally aired on ID on October 28, 2023. The episode of 48 Hours is scheduled to re-air on ID on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at 10 pm ET.

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How was Marlene Warren murdered? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on Investigation Discovery

Marlene Warren (40 at the time of her murder) was enjoying breakfast with her 21-year-old son Joe Ahrens and his friends when someone rang her doorbell. The Florida resident opened the door to a horrific surprise, as a killer dressed in a clown's costume shot at her face and fled the scene immediately.

Her son, Joe Ahrens, witnessed the incident, which took place on May 26, 1990, a little before 11:00 am. As per CBS News, the clown was carrying a basket of flowers and two balloons when they rang the doorbell. When Marlene Warren opened the door, the clown immediately pulled out a gun and shot her. Marlene's son Arhens saw the clown flee in a white Chrysler LeBaron.

The emergency services were contacted as soon as Marlene was shot, and she was rushed to the hospital. She succumbed to her injuries two days after being shot. Her killer was not identified for more than three decades after her murder.

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Who was the Killer Clown who shot Marlene Warren?

The Killer Clown was later identified to be the alleged lover of Marlene's husband Mike (image via Getty)

At the time of Marlene's murder, the police set out an extensive search for the Killer Clown. The police eventually located the businesses where the Killer Clown purchased the balloons, flowers, and the clown outfit. An employee at one business reported to the authorities that a lady purchased the clown outfit, wig, and other accessories.

The police tracked down an abandoned Chrysler LeBaron in a parking area, a few days after the murder of Marlene Warren. Inside the car, they discovered a synthetic wig believed to have been worn by the Killer Clown. The police also found strands of brown human hair inside the car. However, at the time, DNA testing wasn't as sophisticated. According to an ABC News report, the hair was useless in identifying the culprit in the 1990s.

The case was re-opened in 2014 when the police finally matched the DNA of the hair to Sheila Keen-Warren. Sheila was suspected along with Marlene's husband Mike Warren back in 1990, but there was no evidence to link them to the murder.

Sheila was arrested in 2017 after the police conclusively linked her to Marlene's murder. She eventually admitted to the crime after initially denying it. She was tried and sentenced to prison for 12 years in 2023 (a reduced sentence as part of a plea deal).

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Details about Marlene Warren's gruesome murder have been explored in the upcoming episode of 48 Hours on ID. The episode is scheduled to air on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at 10 pm ET.