Deadly Betrayal

Summary

Dateline NBC – Deadly Betrayal

Original Air Date: July 14, 2021
Summary of Key Events: The murder of Lisa Knafel by her foster daughter, Sabrina Zunich, and the subsequent investigation exposing layers of alleged manipulation, betrayal, and a sensational murder-for-hire plot involving Lisa’s husband, Kevin Knafel.

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the shocking murder of Lisa Knafel in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, at the hands of her teenage foster daughter, Sabrina Zunich. What initially appears as an open-and-shut case soon evolves into a web of manipulation, accusations, and betrayals as investigators explore whether Lisa’s husband, Kevin, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the murder.
Main themes: Family, betrayal, manipulation, justice, and the dangers lurking beneath seemingly normal lives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Crime Scene and Immediate Aftermath

• Officer Randy Mullinax and Detective Ron Parmator describe the harrowing crime scene:
  • “The blade was actually bent. It takes a lot to bend a knife blade.” (01:13, 06:48, 09:24)
  • Lisa was stabbed at least 178 times by her 18-year-old foster daughter, Sabrina.
• Lisa’s biological daughter Megan witnessed the attack and made the traumatic 911 call.
  • “Megan was screaming, yelling at somebody to stop. ‘You’re killing her.’” (07:52)

2. The Knafel Family and Sabrina’s Background

• Lisa and Kevin, both devoted parents, blended their families and took in Sabrina, believing she just wanted “to be a part of a family.” (11:09)
• Lisa’s commitment to helping at-risk children is praised:
  • “She was always there to help anybody that needed it.” (05:16)
  • Sabrina initially thrived in the Knafel home, excelling in school and bonding with the family.

3. A Sudden, Violent Betrayal

• The community is blindsided:
  • “When I heard it was Lisa and who did it, I couldn’t believe it. It’s like, you’re kidding me.” (06:39)
• Social workers like Nicole Corbett struggle to comprehend Sabrina’s actions:
  • “I still can’t see the Sabrina that I know being violent towards anyone, let alone what she did. Something else had to have been at play here.” (12:09)

4. Investigators Look for Motive: Friction in the Family

• Detective Parmator and others note mounting tension between Lisa and Sabrina, particularly over Sabrina’s “vivacious” attention toward Kevin and her “motherly” attachment to young Haley, the Knafels' biological daughter.
  • “She acted like a mother to Haley on a regular basis. […] Lisa wasn’t happy with it.” (17:55–18:01)
• Lisa expressed concern to Kevin via text:
  • “Cut the damn cord, spending too much time with her and less with your real family. Thanks a lot.” (17:38)

5. Sabrina’s Confession

• After initially requesting an attorney, Sabrina later tells investigators her version:
  • Feelings of abandonment and exclusion boiled over when Lisa asked her to leave the family. (20:13)
  • “My life was shattering before me. The betrayal, the abandonment, all that came.” (20:13)
• She describes the night of the murder:
  • “I was in the room for a good 10, 15 minutes, and it was a constant, like, battle in my head. Just do it. Don’t do it, just do it.” (20:33)
  • Lisa called out for her daughter, believing Sabrina was Megan, then realized her mistake a moment before the attack.

6. An Explosive Accusation: The Murder Was Planned

• Sabrina claims she didn’t act alone and implicates Kevin:
  • “I couldn’t have done something like this if I didn’t have an outer influence.” (21:45, 09:41)
• She alleges:
  • She and Kevin had a sexual relationship for 6–8 months before the murder. (24:04)
  • Kevin promised her a future together, including being a mother figure to Haley. (24:13)
  • Kevin told Sabrina about Lisa’s life insurance policies and discussed various murder methods—ultimately settling on Sabrina stabbing Lisa in her sleep with a specific knife Kevin chose. (24:36, 25:08)
• “He promised me we were gonna have our own house and I could, you know, take over the role for Haley.” (24:13)
• “Kevin picked out this bread knife… because it would do more damage on the inside.” (25:08)

7. Skepticism and Divided Loyalties

• Kevin’s family and friends staunchly defend him:
  • “There is no way. I can’t believe that he would even begin to do anything like that.” (25:41)
  • “He would not put his kids in harm’s way.” (26:02)
• Others suspect Sabrina’s confession is self-serving—an attempt to shift blame in exchange for a lighter sentence.

8. The Investigation Deepens

• Detective Parmator remains convinced of Kevin’s involvement, citing:
  • Kevin’s immediate claims on Lisa’s $800,000 life insurance (27:58)
  • Kevin’s attempts to visit Sabrina in jail one day after the murder (34:41)
  • Large volumes of texts and phone calls between Kevin and Sabrina compared to those with his wife (34:10)
• Sabrina’s high school friend, Autumn Pavlik, testifies that Kevin was present during conversations about hiring a hitman (36:47–37:07) and that Kevin’s demeanor about these allegations was disturbingly calm and nonchalant.

9. The Trial: Prosecution & Defense

• Prosecution (Lisa Naroda & Karen Kowal):
  • Argue that Sabrina would never have acted without Kevin’s manipulation; present evidence of an inappropriate relationship and communications; highlight Kevin’s suspicious financial and emotional responses.
• Defense (Mike Connick):
  • Maintains Kevin’s innocence; attacks Sabrina’s credibility as a “seriously disturbed human being”; notes lack of direct evidence (no love letters, photos, or physical evidence of the alleged affair or conspiracy) (39:41–41:00)
  • Points out that mandated reporters, including Lisa herself, never reported any inappropriate behavior.
  • Challenges reliability of Autumn’s testimony and questions the logical leaps in the prosecution’s narrative.
• Key defense argument:
  • “There was not one scintilla of physical evidence that tied Kevin to any of these crimes.” (39:45)
  • “Lisa, ironically, was a mandated reporter. She never reported it.” (40:46)

10. The Verdict and Aftermath

• The jury finds Kevin guilty of all charges: sexual battery, conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, and complicity in aggravated murder. (44:57)
• Kevin is sentenced to life in prison.
• Sabrina also receives a life sentence, with parole eligibility in 30 years, after testifying against Kevin.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “This is really just betrayal on top of betrayal on top of betrayal, isn’t it? … It’s a perfect circle.”
  — Narrator / Detective Ron Parmator (02:02, 45:56)
• “My life was shattering before me. The betrayal, the abandonment, all that came.”
  — Sabrina Zunich, in her confession (20:13)
• “I couldn't have done something like this if I didn't have an outer influence.”
  — Sabrina Zunich, implicating Kevin (09:39, 21:45)
• “She would never have done this by herself.”
  — Prosecutor, on Sabrina (32:38)
• “You used the abandonment as a rationale for it to be okay for you to murder my clients?”
  — Defense Attorney Mike Connick challenging Sabrina (44:18)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• The Crime & Scene Details: 00:59–09:31
• Family Background & Sabrina’s Placement: 03:25–06:18
• Initial Investigation & Motive: 09:41–12:09
• Sabrina’s Confession & Claims About Kevin: 19:02–25:34
• Family and Community Response / Doubt: 25:41–27:06
• Investigation Developments & Evidence Against Kevin: 27:08–29:01, 34:08–38:40
• Trial – Prosecution Case: 31:40–39:05
• Trial – Defense Case: 39:05–44:33
• Verdict & Final Reflections: 44:55–46:03

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Concluding Notes

“Deadly Betrayal” is a harrowing exploration of how dysfunction, unmet needs, and manipulation can spiral into tragedy. The episode shines light on the complexity of foster family dynamics, the perils of unchecked suspicion and obsession, and the difficulty of finding truth amid deep betrayal. The guilt of Kevin Knafel remains a matter of bitter debate even after the guilty verdict, with friends and family divided over whether justice was truly served—or another betrayal enacted.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

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[Narrator/Reporter]

All.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

I could see was a dark hallway with the light coming out of a door. How bad is this gonna be? Worst case scenario was going through my head.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

911 was an emergency.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

I've never seen a crime scene like that. The blade was actually bent. It takes a lot to bend a knife blade.

[Narrator/Reporter]

This wasn't a case in which you had to wonder who was responsible.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

That's correct. I knew right away it was a foster daughter.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

When I heard, it's like, you're kidding me.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

Something else had to have been at play here.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

She starts telling her story, starts sobbing, tears are coming down her face.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I couldn't have done something like this if I didn't have an outer influence.

[Narrator/Reporter]

You had sensed for a long time that there was something going on that Serena wasn't talking about. Did you think this was it?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

I didn't think it was this involved.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

It just started getting more concrete. More of this is what we could have. If we do this.

[Narrator/Reporter]

This is really just betrayal on top of betrayal on top of betrayal, isn't it?

[Detective Ron Parmator]

It's a perfect circle.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

It was absolutely crazy. There was no way he would even begin to do anything like that. It was like, I want this. This is how I'm gonna get it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

There comes a time in most cops careers when they see something so horrific they'll do just about anything to forget it. Even though deep down they know they never will. For officer Randy Mullinax, that Moment came in November 2012 on a call to Chagrin Drive in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. You ever had a scene like this before? Never.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

I've never seen a crime scene like that and I hope I never have to again.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It was bad finding out what happened that night on Chagrin Drive and why would ultimately lead investigators on a journey that would reveal accusations of a diabolical murder plot and a series of betrayals that tore apart an American family. That journey would begin when this house of horrors was still the loving home of Lisa and Kevin Kneighful, a couple whose friends describe as destined to be together from the moment they met.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

I remember her talking about him and she had nothing but great things to say.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Lisa's close friends Kayleen and Carl Lessman were the unofficial chaperones of Lisa and Kevin's first date.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

I come in and he is fabulous.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

We got along right away.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

I mean, he fit right in, seriously. And I can totally see why she was drawn to him. I mean, you really can.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin was just as drawn to Lisa, according to Kevin's sister, Chris Ann Sutton.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I remember Kevin telling me that I met somebody and her name's Lisa and I think I really like her. She liked to have fun, just like Kevin. Very family oriented and good for him. Very good for him.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Both Kevin and Lisa had been married before and both had children. Lisa had Megan, Kevin had Cody.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Kevin was always good with children.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Linda Cover is a Knifel family friend who's known Kevin all his life. Good father, good father, dedicated father.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Absolutely, absolutely.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin was a jack of many trades, a truck driver, a school bus driver, an emergency medical technician. Lisa dedicated her life to social work, helping and caring for sexually abused kids. Kayleen was one of Lisa's co workers.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

She just wanted to help people. We work in a sex abuse unit and that's a very difficult subject that a lot of people can't deal with. But she really prided herself on helping these families and being able to help, you know, make a difference.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Everyone admired Lisa's selflessness. Her friend Carrie Ward also worked with Lisa.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She took in foster kids while she was a single parent and was raising her own daughter by herself.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The feels like sort of going the extra mile and then some.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She did. She was always there to help anybody that needed it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Admirable.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Yes, very much so.

[Narrator/Reporter]

One year after Kevin and Lisa met, they married.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

The wedding itself, I mean, was fabulous. The reception was great.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Did you think this marriage was going to be it for Kevin?

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. There was no question in my mind.

[Narrator/Reporter]

A year and a half later, Lisa and Kevin announced the arrival of a baby of their own, Haley. Lisa was on top of the world.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

Megan, she loved like crazy, of course, but she really wanted another child.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But Lisa felt she had more to give. Two years after Haley's birth, she decided to invite 16 year old foster child Sabrina Zunich into her Home and to make Sabrina part of the family.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

I met Sabrina almost immediately when she came to the house. I remember her saying I finally have a family.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

Everything was going really well. She fit right into the family. Lisa, I mean, couldn't talk highly enough about her.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But the happy times for the Knafel's blended and now extended family would come to a catastrophic end on that November night back in 2012 when Lisa Kneffel was brutally stabbed in her home.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

When I heard it was Lisa and who did it, I couldn't believe it. It's like you, you're kidding me.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

The blade was actually bent and I just started shaking my head because I couldn't. It takes a lot to bend a knife blade.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Who could have felt enough rage to do that? The love and hope that marked the Knifeles newly blended family vanished forever on a cold November night in 2012.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

911, what is your emergency?

[Narrator/Reporter]

At about 1am The Willoughby Hills Police received a 911 call from the Knifel house. The caller was the knifeless 13 year old daughter Megan. She said her mother Lisa was being brutally stabbed right before her eyes.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Who has a knife? If I have a female yelling on the phone, someone else has a knife.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

Megan was screaming, yelling at somebody to stop. You're killing her.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Stop.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

You're hurting her. Why are you doing this?

[Narrator/Reporter]

In the background, Lisa can be heard pleading for for help.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

It's really chilling to listen to.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

You're gonna have to take a deep breath. I do not understand you.

[Narrator/Reporter]

First responding officer Randy Mullinix arrived at the Knifel home and found Megan frantic at the front door.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

She's waving her hands. You need to hurry, hurry, hurry.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Mullenex learned Kevin Knefel was away on business, leaving Lisa, Megan, Haley and their foster daughter Sabrina at home.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

Worst case scenario was going through my head. What am I going to see? How bad is this going to be?

[Narrator/Reporter]

It was far worse than he could have imagined. Out of the master bedroom came the knifel's 18 year old foster daughter Sabrina holding a knife.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

It looked like she, she literally showered in blood.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Mullinex ordered Sabrina to the ground where she was cuffed. He then went to the bedroom where he found Lisa Knefel on the floor.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

I could barely even see flesh color. It was there was that much blood on her, I knew there was nothing I can do.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The coroner would later determine Lisa had been stabbed and cut at least 178 times. Sabrina's weapon was a 15 inch bread knife.

[Officer Randy Mullinax]

The blade was actually bent and I just started shaking my head Because I couldn't. It takes a lot to bend a knife blade.

[Narrator/Reporter]

With Sabrina Zunich now booked and in the lockup, Detective Ron Parmator began the investigation. This wasn't a case in which you had to wonder who was responsible.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

That's correct. We knew right away it was a foster daughter.

[Narrator/Reporter]

This looked like a case that could be shut as quickly as it opened. But if that were true, we wouldn't be telling you this story. This turned out to be one of the most unusual cases we've ever come across. Police would end up investigating not just who, but why, with answers as stunning as they were disturbing. As dawn broke that cold November morning, Detective Parmitur began with his perpetrator, Sabrina Zunich.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

I first noticed that she was a very small girl, very frail girl.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina started describing the moments leading up to the murder. She'd had a migraine, she said, while everyone else slept, she walked into the Knavel's master bath to get some ibuprofen. And that, she said, is where her memory went blank. You didn't think anybody could stab someone that many times and not remember any part of it?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

No. I mean, I tried all different ways of, you know, get her to come out and tell me what really happened, and she was not giving it up.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And then Sabrina asked for an attorney, bringing Parmor tor's interrogation to an abrupt and frustrating halt. You thought, whatever else we're gonna get is not gonna come from her.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Exactly.

[Narrator/Reporter]

So Parmator consulted those who arguably knew this teenaged ward of the state better than anyone. Sabrina's social workers.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

She had some issues with her family growing up. Her grandma took custody of her about the age of three.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Case manager Nicole Corbett said Sabrina struggled with having been abandoned by her parents at a very early age. She ended up in the juvenile system after stealing from her grandmother to pay for drugs and alcohol.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

She worked a lot in counseling, how to cope and how to manage with everything she was going through.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Eventually, Nicole helped place Sabrina in the Knafel home.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

She just wanted to be a part of something, a part of a family. I know that's what she wanted more than anything. So when she was told about being placed with the Knafels, she was ecstatic.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It turned out the Knafels loving care was just what Sabrina needed.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

She was going to class, getting good grades. I think Sabrina really was thriving in their home.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Which made the news that it was Sabrina who had brutally stabbed Lisa all the more baffling.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

I still can't see the Sabrina that I know being violent towards anyone, let alone what she did. Something else had to have been at play here.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Detective Ron Parmartor was thinking the same way. He wanted to talk to Kevin about what that something else might be. But he held off.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

I was giving him his space because I thought that he needed time to, you know, deal with the tragic death of his wife.

[Narrator/Reporter]

According to his sister, Chrisann, Kevin was an emotional wreck when he heard what happened.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I'm sure that there was some guilt because he worked nights and he wasn't home.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Still, Parmiter felt Kevin might hold the key to solving the riddle of this case. Why keep going? You got your suspect and she's got the weapon in her hand.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Just doing my job as a detective. I was trying to find out why.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It was the one central question that continued to plague Detective Parmator and drive him forward. You're crossing your fingers and thinking, we really need a break.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Yes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And then one day it arrives.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

One day Sabrina decides that she wants to tell us what happened.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And the story Sabrina ultimately told was far more complicated and twisted than anyone could have imagined.

[Narrator/Host]

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[Narrator/Reporter]

News of Lisa Knavel's bloody murder cut through Willoughby Hills, Ohio, like a blistering winter wind.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

I was shocked. Lisa was a nice person. She was a good mom. She was a good wife.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Finding out that the foster daughter Lisa welcomed into her home ended up committing Lisa's murder only added to the collective pain and suffering.

[Lisa's Friend or Co-worker]

Betrayal is the perfect word for what happened.

[Narrator/Reporter]

As Detective Ron Parmertore worked the case, he learned there'd been growing tension within the knifel home right before the murder. And the source of that tension was Sabrina.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

She got along great with Kevin, and she did not get along well at all with Lisa.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Parmartour discovered Lisa had become frustrated with Sybrina's behavior toward Kevin.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

She was fascinated with Kevin. She seemed a little vivacious in my eyes, flirty, like flaunting herself.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And Parmatour learned from texts on Lisa's cell phone that Sabrina's flirty behavior had begun to take its toll on Lisa and Kevin's marriage. Sabrina was demanding Kevin's time, and Kevin was making himself available. Too available as far as Lisa was concerned. You have one actual text from Lisa to Kevin in which she's saying, you're getting too close to Sabrina.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Yes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In fact, Lisa wrote, cut the damn cord, spending too much time with her and less with your real family. Thanks a lot. Lisa also became concerned about the relationship Sabrina had with her daughter Haley.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She acted like a mother to Haley on a regular basis.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It made Lisa uncomfortable.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Lisa wasn't happy with it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Now it sounds like one of the things that everybody agrees on is that Sybrina was fixated on fascinated with Hailey.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

She was.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Six months after the murder, the investigation took another turn. Parmitur learned Sabrina was ready to talk.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

She starts telling her story. She starts sobbing. Tears are coming down her face.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina told DATELINE the same story she told police. The story of a young girl bouncing through the foster care system, always dreaming of a better life.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I wanted a new beginning and to put all the past behind me. I wanted to. That picket white fence, the dinner on the table with siblings, and, you know, something I never had. I wanted that structure of a family.

[Narrator/Reporter]

So when the Knaefels opened their door to Sabrina, it was a dream come true.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

My first impression of Kevin was caring father, somebody that was willing to, you know, get to know me and want to know me.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And then there was Lisa.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

My relationship with Lisa, it was at first good. We would all spend time together. We would go swimming in the backyard. I felt a part of the family.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Then Sabrina confirmed what Parmiter had already heard. The good times quickly came to an end when Sabrina and Lisa started arguing. According to Sabrina, Lisa began thinking of her as more foster than daughter, and Sabrina didn't like that.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I felt like the outsider. I felt kind of abandoned in a certain type of way and not accepted.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina admitted her close relationship with both Kevin and Haley had become a major source of friction with Lisa.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She doesn't like the fact of how I'm acting with Haley and wouldn't let Hailey come around me, not even give me a hug at night. It really. It hurt me.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And then came the moment when Sybrina said Lisa told her it was time to go.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She was very blunt about it, and she was like, I'm sorry, but I don't want you here anymore. My life was shattering before me. The betrayal, the abandonment, all that came.

[Narrator/Reporter]

To surface two weeks later. Sybrina says she quietly, carefully walked into Elisa's darkened bedroom, a knife in her hand.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I was in the room for a good 10, 15 minutes, and it was a constant, like, battle in my head. Just do it. Don't do it, just do it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In the end, it was Sabrina's darker side that won out.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She wakes up and she thought I was Megan and was like, megan, go to bed. I completely froze. And then she sits on up in her bed and she was like, megan, go. And she realized it wasn't Megan. And that's when I did it. I remember her shouting, bree, stop. And I remember Megan coming in and setting a hand on my shoulder and saying, bree, stop. And I just nudged her off and told her, megan, don't.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Anger. Triggered by a troubled teenager's feeling of abandonment leading to murder for Ron Parmator, Sabrina's story made perfect, if tragic sense. You believe Sabrina?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Absolutely.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But Sabrina was not done. What she was about to reveal would send this investigation hurtling in a completely new and alarming direction. Sabrina told Detective Parmator she didn't act alone.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I couldn't have done something like this if I didn't have an outer influence.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina drops a bombshell, claiming that getting rid of Lisa was actually someone else's idea, communicated in a series of bitter texts.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Man, I wish she. Wish she was dead or I can't stand her. She just needs to go.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Detective Ron Parmator always knew who killed Lisa Kneffel. And now he thought he understood why Sabrina had told Parmator Lisa was about to crush her dream of remaining part of the Knefel family.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

She hated Lisa.

[Narrator/Reporter]

That feels to me like a motive.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Absolutely.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I hated Lisa, but it was only because she was triggering a lot of past issues.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But there was more. There was, said Sabrina, someone else.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

It's not all my fault. Now I take responsibility because I did what I did and I know it was wrong, but if it weren't for him, it would not have happened.

[Narrator/Reporter]

If it weren't for him. Sabrina was referring to her foster father, Kevin.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I was doing what Kevin told me to do. That's what it comes down to.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It was an astonishing accusation. Sabrina told Parmator Kevin had grown to hate Lisa even more than she did. It was a feeling she said Kevin shared with her slowly over several months.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Started through text. Man, I wish she. Wish she was dead or I can't stand her. She just needs to go.

[Narrator/Reporter]

According to Sybrina, Kevin also revealed that Lisa had multiple life insurance policies and that she was worth more dead than alive. But just as it seemed Sybrina's story couldn't get any more twisted, she dropped a second bombshell.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Her story was that Kevin and her were having a sexual relationship and it was going on for probably about six to eight months prior to the homicide.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I absolutely fell in love with him.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin, Sabrina said, promised her the world and played on her love of three year old Haley.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

He promised me we were gonna have our own house and I could, you know, take over the role for Haley, you know, a mother figure, and I'd go to college, do everything that I ever wanted to do in life.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And then she said Kevin finally convinced her the only way to realize that picket fence dream was to kill Lisa.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

It just started getting more concrete, more of, do you want to do it? You know, this is what we could have if, you know, if we do this. When you're in love, you will do anything for that person.

[Narrator/Reporter]

According to Sabrina, they first discussed the idea of Sabrina shooting Lisa. Then they considered hiring a hitman. Then after several months, they finally settled On Sabrina stabbing Lisa in her sleep.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Kevin picked out this bread knife, and it was about a foot long, and it had a rigid blade. And he said to use this one because it would do more damage on the inside. I was supposed to take a ring, her necklace, all of that, as if somebody came in and, you know, burglarized her.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Are you kidding me?

[Narrator/Reporter]

When Kevin's friend Linda Cover got wind of Sybrina's story, she was dumbfounded.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

I thought that it was absolutely crazy. There is no way. I can't even believe that he would even begin to do anything like that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Neither could Kevin's sister, Chris Ann. Kevin, she said, loved Lisa too much to want to harm her. Nor would he ever do anything to risk the safety of his children.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

He would not put his kids in harm's way. And I include Megan in that. He thought of Megan as his own daughter.

[Narrator/Reporter]

No one, she said, could be manipulated into committing such a violent act.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

This is the act of one person and one person only.

[Narrator/Reporter]

According to Linda Cover, Sabrina's story was a web of lies woven together by a deranged and troubled teen whose fantasy of having a life with Kevin and Haley pushed her over the edge.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

I think she imagined the relationship that didn't exist. It was like, I want this, so this is how I'm going to get it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

As for the alleged affair, you ever see any hint of anything inappropriate between Kevin and Sabrina?

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Absolutely not.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

No? No. That's not my brother.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina, they said, turned on Kevin and blamed him for everything, hoping for a plea deal. So what's going on here? Sabrina lying to save her own skin?

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Absolutely. Absolutely not.

[Narrator/Reporter]

According to Detective Parmator, you're convinced there really was a plan between her and Kevin?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Yes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And that there was an affair? Despite the lack of hard evidence, she had no proof. There's no love letters?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

No.

[Narrator/Reporter]

There's no photographs? There's no videotape?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

No.

[Narrator/Reporter]

How do you know what happened?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Took Sybrina on her word. Every time we interviewed Sybrina, she always told us the same story.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And it rang true.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Absolutely rang true.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And Parmortor said he was suspicious of Kevin even before Sybrina came forward. Several weeks after the murder, Parmitor asked Kevin to come to the station for an interview. Kevin brought along his attorney.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

He would only answer the questions about his wife's work.

[Narrator/Reporter]

And nothing about the murder?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Nothing about the murder.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Parmitor also became suspicious of how Kevin began filing claims for Lisa's $800,000 in life insurance within hours of Lisa being pronounced dead. And then he started spending the money.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

He was buying cars. He was buying a camper. He was remodeling his house inside.

[Narrator/Reporter]

All with Lisa's insurance money.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

All with Lisa's insurance money.

[Narrator/Reporter]

All of that was enough for detectives. Three months after Sybrina accused Kevin of manipulating her into killing Lisa, Detective Parmatour arrested Kevin and charged him with plotting the murder. Sabrina agreed to testify as the state's star witness. In exchange, the district attorney's office agreed to recommend that Sabrina receive a reduced sentence. You're taking the word of an admitted murderer here, correct? Even though she clearly got a reason to lie about this?

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Yep. I believe what she's telling us is the truth.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But would a jury agree?

[Narrator/Host]

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[Narrator/Reporter]

18 months after Lisa Knefel's murder, Kevin Knafel's trial began. The charges complicity and conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. Kevin was also charged with sexual battery relating to Sabrina. Prosecutors Karen Kowal and Lisa Naroda argued Sabrina would never have killed Lisa had it not been for Kevin.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

She was the perfect patsy.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Young, impressionable, idealistic and anxious to have a guy love her. Yes, and so he manipulated her. Yeah, but this was no slam dunk. Kevin denied all charges and prosecutors acknowledged their case was based primarily on the word of Sybrina, a young woman with plenty of reason to lie. This puts you in a difficult position it seems to me. I mean you are defending the character of this cold blooded murderer and the fact that she committed this murder is all on someone else.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Not necessarily on someone else but together with somebody else. She would never have done this by herself.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Without any direct proof of the alleged affair, prosecutors began by calling those who say they saw signs of inappropriate behavior between a foster father and foster daughter. Sabrina's teacher Willie Smith described spotting Kevin with Sabrina at the school one afternoon. She moved towards sitting in his lap inside his legs. What did you do? I did a double take, kind of really. Then Nicole Corbett, Sabrina's social worker case manager testified about a strange call from Kevin just a month before the murder. Kevin, she said admitted his marriage to Lisa was in trouble and said they were considering divorce.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

What was your reaction to this?

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

I was surprised. I didn't know they were even considering splitting up.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Her divorce Kevin, she said asked whether in a divorce he would be able to take Sybrina with him as opposed to her staying with Lisa.

[Social Worker or Case Manager Nicole Corbett]

I just thought it was a little odd that he wanted to take a 17 year old girl alone in a home with just him.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Prosecutors next showed jurors cell phone activity. More evidence they said that indicated Kevin and Sabrina were having an affair. Kevin was texting Sabrina way more than he was texting his wife.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Substantially more.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Within a two week period Kevin and Sabrina texted and called each other almost 1500 times. That compares to just 200 calls and texts between Kevin and Lisa. Prosecutors then turned jurors attention to Kevin's behavior after Lisa's murder. David Strunk was one of Kevin's close friends. Strunk testified that Kevin seemed desperate to visit Sabrina in jail just one day after the murder.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

He told Me that he just wanted.

[Narrator/Reporter]

To let her know that he was still there for her.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

This was the person that had just killed his wife.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

And I was shocked that he would.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Want to have any sort of contact with her. According to Karen Kowal, Kevin's real reason for wanting to see Sabrina was to keep her from talking to police and telling them about Kevin's involvement in the murder plot.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

That trip to the jail was certainly huge.

[Narrator/Reporter]

As pleased as prosecutors were with their case so far, they knew it would stand or fall on how the jury responded to their next witness. You guys worried?

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I was worried.

[Narrator/Reporter]

They listened. Everyone listened as Sabrina told of the night she took Lisa's life.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I started to stab her. I just raised the knife up and went down on her. Why is it that you can violently and brutally stab her repeatedly 178 times?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Because.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I was manipulated to do it. By who?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin. What'd you think?

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Sabrina was a strong witness. I felt she did a good job.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Maybe so. But without anyone to corroborate Sabrina's story, prosecutors feared the jury still wouldn't believe it or her. Enter the next witness, Sabrina's high school friend, Autumn Pavlick. Autumn testified she had firsthand knowledge about the murder plan and Kevin's involvement in it. According to Autumn, Sabrina once called her, thinking she had connections to a tough crowd and could find someone willing to kill Lisa.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

There was a phone call that we had had. She had asked me if I was able to get her a hitman. Could you tell if there were any other people in the room at the time? Yes. And how could you tell that? I could hear the defendant in the background talking.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Autumn then testified she and Sabrina discussed the idea of paying the hitman by delivering drugs for him. That's when she said Sabrina Rena handed the phone to Kevin.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

What did he ask you at that time? Do you need me to take you to go run drugs? Okay. And what was that in reference to the hit?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Autumn said she ultimately backed out of the plan altogether.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Finally, I said, sorry, I can't help you. I don't want anything to do with it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But Autumn was willing to later help Detective Parmartour with his investigation. After hearing Autumn's story, Parmator asked Autumn to call Kevin and talk about the hitman, thinking Kevin might implicate himself. Prosecutors played that recorded phone call in court.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

The only thing that I'm worried about is that whole hitman thing.

[Narrator/Reporter]

I honestly don't know. She talked a big game about a lot of things on the call. Kevin never admits to knowing anything about A hitman. But to Detective Parmartour, his calm manner and apparent lack of surprise suggest a prior knowledge of the plot.

[Detective Ron Parmator (continued) or Investigator]

Never says, what are you talking about? I've never. We never had any conversations. If you have any information about the murder of my wife, please go to the police. Never says anything like that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In fact, when Detective Parmator called Kevin just two days later, Kevin made no mention of Autumn's call and claimed to have only a vague recollection of who Autumn was, even though he'd just spoken with her. Last name doesn't ring a bell, but.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

I think she had a friend named Autumn at school.

[Narrator/Reporter]

As prosecutor Coal sought, Kevin was trying to keep police from finding the one person other than Sabrina who could link him to Lisa's murder.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Clearly a lie. Very damaging.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Prosecutors were now confident jurors had all they needed to convince. But now it was the defense's turn to make its case. And Kevin Knavel's attorneys weren't about to let Sabrina leave that courtroom without a fight. The defense tries to undercut the prosecution's whole premise, arguing there was nothing going on between Kevin and Sabrina.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

There were maybe 12 witnesses that if they see any form of abuse, they have a mandatory danger duty to report.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It, and none of them did.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

And all of them testified that they didn't do it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin Knavel's defense attorney, Mike Connick, felt pretty confident as he prepared his counterpunch before the Lake county court. Did Kevin have anything to do with Lisa's murder?

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

No.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Did he have any sexual relationship with Sybrina?

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

No. There was not one scintilla of physical evidence that tied Kevin to any of these crimes.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Connick began trying to dismantle the evidence the state did present. He challenged the county employees who had testified they believed Kevin was acting inappropriate, appropriately towards Sabrina, asking why they didn't report such behavior before the murder.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

At that time, if you had a serious concern, you would have filed a report, wouldn't you?

[Narrator/Reporter]

I would have filed a report if I felt it was a serious concern.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

I did not file a report on this. There were eight, 10, maybe 12 witnesses that are mandated reporters. If they see any form of abuse, they have a mandatory duty to report.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It, and none of them did.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

And all of them testified that they didn't do it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

No one reported inappropriate behavior, said Connick, because there was nothing to report.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

Lisa, ironically, was a mandated reporter. She never reported it.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Connick then addressed the large number of texts between Kevin and Sabrina.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

I don't find that shocking.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Neither did Kevin's sister, Chris Ann.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

There's more texts between my husband and one of my daughters than my husband and me. It doesn't mean anything.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But what about those who testified Kevin acted suspiciously immediately after the murder?

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

I don't think I'd want to have to come home and find out that my wife was butchered and then have other people criticize what my emotional response to that situation was.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Kevin's friend Linda Cover agreed, even if the emotional response was to try and visit Sabrina in jail just one day after she'd murdered Kevin's wife.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

I thought about that, and I'm thinking he might have wanted to say, why in the hell. What's the matter with you?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Linda Cover also believed Kevin was unfairly judged for filing the life insurance claims as quickly as he did. Kevin, she said, had to think about the welfare of his children.

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Now I have to be the sole support. Now what am I going to do?

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

A great deal of the state's evidence where witnesses said, he's not acting the right way, he's not acting normal. As soon as somebody can tell me what normal is, I'll be happy to adopt it as a notion of.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Connick applied that same argument to the criticism of Kevin's muted response to the mention of a hitman on Autumn Pavlik's recorded phone call.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to be angry? Was he supposed to be defensive? If he had, I think what he.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Was supposed to be was something that's.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

Kind of Kevin's demeanor. You can't pass judgment on that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But what about Autumn's testimony that she spoke directly to Kevin about hiring a hitman to kill Lisa? Connick dismissed that testimony as being inconsistent and unreliable. During cross, Connick asked Autumn to read a transcript of her initial interview with police when she was asked if Kevin was ever a part of her conversations with Sabrina about trying to hire a hitman.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

Why don't you read me your answer on page 32 at line 3?

[Detective Ron Parmator]

No. Well, no. We were on the phone, and she didn't really talk about it in front of him. And I don't think he knew that I knew.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Thank you.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

She ultimately acknowledged that Kevin was never present or on the phone during those conversations about killing Lisa.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But Mike Connick knew it would be his cross examination of Sabrina that would determine Kevin.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

My name is Michael Koenick, and I represent Kevin Knavel. Sabrina is a seriously disturbed human being.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The murder itself, he said, was all the proof the jury would need of that.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

Do you recognize this knife?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Yes.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

And when you began slaughtering Lisa Knefel. This knife was straight, wasn't it?

[Narrator/Reporter]

Yes.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

And you attacked her with such vigor and force, anger and rage, that you managed to put a 20 degree bend in a stainless steel knife. Correct.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Connick continued pressing, hoping to show Sabrina was motivated not by manipulation from Kevin, but by her hatred for Lisa.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

You used the abandonment as a rationale for it to be okay for you to murder my clients?

[Detective Ron Parmator]

No, I did not. No. It was a factor that came into it. Yes. A justification, a rationalization? No.

[Narrator/Reporter]

In the end, Sybrina never wavered from her story. Still, Connick felt he damaged her credibility.

[Defense Attorney Mike Connick]

By the conclusion of her testimony. There should have been no question that she was not reliable.

[Narrator/Reporter]

But that was for jurors to decide. It took them just under 10 hours to deliberate.

[Narrator/Host]

Have a verdict.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Guilty on all counts. Guilty of sexual battery is charged in the indictment. Guilty of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. Guilty of complicity and aggravated murder in charge in the indictment. Kevin Kneighfel was sentenced to life in prison. You think an innocent man is in jail?

[Kevin Knafel's Friend or Family Member]

Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, I'd about stake my life on that.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Sabrina also received a life sentence, but will be eligible for parole after 30 years as recommended by the state. Prosecutors feel justice was served, but lead prosecutor Karen Kowal is quick to point out cases like these bring little satisfaction. This is really just betrayal on top of betrayal on top of betrayal, isn't it? I mean, you got Kevin betraying Lisa, Sabrina betraying Lisa, then you have Kevin betraying Sabrina, and ultimately Sabrina betraying Kevin.

[Detective Ron Parmator]

Yeah, it's a perfect circle.

[Lacy Mosley (Podcast Host)]

What's poppin, listeners? I'm Lacy Mosley, host of the podcast Scam Goddess. The show that's an ode to fraud and all those who practice it. Each week I talk with very special guest about the scammiest scammers of all time. Wanna know about the fake errors? We got em. What about a career con man? We've got them too. Guys that will wine and dine you and then steal all your coins. Oh, you know they are represented Cause representation matters. I'm joined by guests like Nicole Byer, Ira Madison iii, Conan o' Brien and more. Join the congregation and listen to Scam Goddess wherever you get your podcasts.