True crime docuseries looks back at murder mystery sparked by a killer clown
The murder of Marlene Warren in 1990 shocked the town of Wellington, Florida, not only because she was shot in broad daylight, but because the perpetrator was dressed as a clown.
Sundance TV’s three-part docuseries “The Killer Clown: Murder on the Doorstep” looks back at the 35-year-old crime, beginning with the horrifying moment Marlene was gunned down in front of her son, Joe, and some of his friends.
From there, Marlene’s husband, Michael Warren, became a suspect thanks to shady business dealings with a car rental company he owned and financial motives like an insurance payout.
There was also the matter of the at first rumored and later confirmed affair with a woman named Sheila Keen, who many claim throughout the series was the one to dress as a clown and deliver balloons to Marlene’s front door before shooting her.
But Michael had a solid alibi, and with nothing firm tying Sheila to the case either, the case went cold, even as the occasional lead or suspicion would pop up.
Then, almost thirty years later, a very minimal amount of physical evidence was able to be processed that led back to Sheila.
Sheila was arrested and later took a plea deal with time served, completing her sentence in 2024 and reuniting with Michael.
But the case was hardly open and shut at that point and remains confounding to this day. Who would attack a woman well liked in her community, beloved by friends, family, and especially her son, Joe, whose life was truly shattered by his mother’s death.
Joe’s sadness and frustration linger throughout the episodes as police, lawyers, experts, journalists, and witnesses review the mystery that has haunted him since that terrible day in May 35 years ago.
Even with a person serving time for the murder, was justice truly served? That question hangs over the episodes, premiering June 5 on SundanceTV and airing weekly. “The Killer Clown: Murder on the Doorstep” will also be available for streaming on Sundance Now and AMC+.
