Infamous Murdering Repo Clown Released From Prison

In 1990, 21-year-old Joe Ahrens was looking forward to a relaxed Memorial Day weekend morning with friends at his home in Wellington, Florida. His mother, Marlene Warren, a small business owner in her early 40s, bustled around the house, preparing for the day.

As Joe and his friends gathered at the table for breakfast, their peaceful morning was interrupted by a knock at the door. Marlene answered, curious as to who could be visiting so early. Standing there was a figure in full clown costume—bright wig, painted face, holding a bouquet of flowers and a cluster of balloons.

“Oh, how pretty!” Marlene said.

These would be the last words Joe would hear from his mother. Suddenly, the clown pulled out a gun and shot Marlene in the face, leaving her fatally wounded. In shock, Joe rushed to his mother’s side, catching a glimpse of the clown’s hauntingly large, brown eyes before the figure turned to leave.

Detectives immediately began investigating, with suspicion quickly falling on Marlene’s husband, Michael Warren, Joe’s stepfather. According to Joe, his mother had once confided in him, saying, “If anything ever happens to me, it was your father.” Though Joe initially dismissed her fear, her words now echoed ominously in his mind.

Investigators soon learned that Michael Warren was allegedly having an affair with a colleague, Sheila Keen, who worked in his auto business, repossessing cars. But Michael had an alibi—he was on his way to a horse race with friends during the murder.

Attention then turned to Sheila. When questioned, Sheila claimed she was searching for cars to repossess at the time of the incident, but could not provide verifiable details. Detectives uncovered new leads: a woman matching Sheila’s description had been seen buying a clown costume, flowers, and balloons. Furthermore, a car matching the getaway vehicle description was found, containing a strand of brown hair and orange fibers consistent with a clown wig.

Despite this mounting circumstantial evidence, it wasn’t enough to bring charges, and the case went cold. Joe, left grieving the loss of his mother, struggled deeply, turning to alcohol to cope. As years passed, the unsolved mystery weighed heavily on him, leading to depression and addiction until he eventually sought help and began rebuilding his life.

Nearly three decades later, a breakthrough came: DNA testing linked the brown hair in the suspected getaway car to Sheila. Detectives tracked her down, now married to Michael Warren, who had relocated to Tennessee, where they ran a burger business. Staff at the restaurant whispered that Sheila was the alleged “clown killer,” with one even claiming she’d once worn a clown costume to work on Halloween.

In 2017, Sheila was arrested for Marlene’s murder. Though she maintained her innocence, the pressure of mounting evidence and prolonged court battles led her to accept a plea deal in exchange for a reduced sentence. After serving over five years, she was released in November 2024, though state attorney Dave Aronberg remarked she would “wear the stain of a convicted murderer” forever.

For Joe, this plea brought mixed feelings. “It blew my mind,” he told 20/20. He accepted the deal, though he never saw remorse from Sheila. After the sentencing, Joe visited his mother’s grave, sharing that they had finally achieved justice after so many years.