Into The Dark, Episode 154: The Killer Clown Murder

Host: Payton Moreland
Release Date: January 21, 2026

Episode Overview

In this chilling episode of Into The Dark, Payton Moreland takes a deep dive into the infamous "Killer Clown" murder of Marlene Warren—a true crime case notorious for its bizarre details, slow-burning investigation, and questions of motive and justice. Payton explores the facts, the suspects, the curious use of a clown disguise, and the resolution that left as many questions as answers. Throughout, she examines the classic question, “Why do people do what they do?”—with her trademark mix of empathy, horror, and intrigue.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unsettling Allure and Fear of Clowns

• Payton opens with reflections on the eerie nature of clowns, explaining humanity's biological discomfort with things that are “almost human, but not quite.”
  • "Their faces are almost human, but not quite, and their big red mouths and noses are exaggerated... and these are the sorts of traits that feel wrong and make us a little nervous." [04:05]
• Marlene Warren, the victim, subverts this trope—she and her mother love clowns, collecting clown memorabilia and sharing a fondness for their imagery. [04:55]

2. Marlene's Life and Troubled Marriage

• Marlene, aged 40 and living in affluent Wellington, FL in 1990, is caring for her recovering adult son Joe with her husband, Mike.
• Marlene suspects Mike is unfaithful; she feels trapped in the marriage due to shared business interests (car lot, valuable properties), fear of financial ruin, and hints that she might be afraid of Mike himself.
  • "If anything happens to me, Mike did it." —Marlene (to multiple family members) [07:44]
  • Joe, her son, didn’t believe Mike was capable of violence, which further isolated Marlene.

3. The Murder: Surreal Horror

• May 26, 1990: A clown appears at Marlene’s home carrying balloons and flowers.
• Expecting a cheerful gift for her son, Marlene opens the door—only to be shot point-blank in the face.
  • "Oh, how sweet." —Marlene's last words [09:42]
• The clown is described as tall, with a man's build and striking brown eyes. They walk calmly to a white Chevy LeBaron and drive away without haste.
• Marlene is hospitalized but dies after being taken off life support on May 28. [11:17]

4. Initial Police Investigation & Early Suspicions

• Police find the white LeBaron abandoned 10 miles away, with orange synthetic hairs (matching the clown wig) and human hairs inside, but no costume or weapon. [15:23]
• Costume shop employee, Deborah, recalls selling a clown suit, wig, and makeup to an anxious woman (5'11", white, brown eyes, dark hair) two days prior. [17:43]
• Attention immediately turns to Marlene’s husband Mike, especially due to:
  • Marlene’s premonitions
  • Mike’s suspicious conversation with their lawyer about inheriting a spouse’s property after murder, including a suggestion to use a clown costume for plausible deniability [19:16; callback at 36:22]
• Mike’s alibi (with friends en route to a racetrack) checks out, but police believe he could have orchestrated the murder. [21:25]

5. The Role of Sheila Keene

• Sheila was hired at Mike’s car lot five months prior to the murder; rumors suggest she and Mike were having an affair.
• After Marlene’s murder and Mike’s later fraud conviction (43 counts; several years in prison), Mike and Sheila reconnect, eventually marry in 2002, and move out of Florida. Sheila changes her appearance post-marriage. [25:37]
• Rumors: Sheila disliked Marlene and later attended a Halloween party dressed as a clown—a detail that chilled those who later learned about the murder. [27:44]
  • "She attended the company party dressed as a clown... a really strange choice." [27:48]

6. Cold Case Break & DNA Evidence

• In 2017, advances in DNA allow for a retesting of the hair evidence from the LeBaron.
  • Mike—no match.
  • Sheila—perfect match for the hair found. [32:09]
• Circumstantial evidence piles up:
  • Balloons at the murder scene sourced from a store only half a mile from Sheila’s former apartment.
  • Sheila matches the description from the costume shop employee nearly exactly (height, hair, eyes).
  • Mike and Sheila’s relationship timeline aligns with Marlene’s suspicions of infidelity. [34:10]

7. Legal Proceedings and Contested Guilt

• Sheila arrested and charged with first-degree murder in September 2017 [34:40]; she maintains innocence, suggesting hair transfer due to repossessing cars at work; her defense points to police mishandling of evidence storage.
• Even without DNA, circumstantial evidence seems damning, but Sheila’s defense raises doubts about her ability to commit such a calm, “professional” crime. [35:50]

8. Plea Deal & Aftermath

• Sheila spends 6 years in jail awaiting trial, hampered by COVID delays.
• In April 2023, Sheila accepts a plea deal for second-degree murder—12-year sentence, but with time served and good behavior, serves only a total of 7 years (released November 2024). [36:44]
• Sheila continues to proclaim her innocence, claiming the plea was solely to regain her freedom as quickly as possible.
• Public debate remains: Some suspect Mike was the mastermind. Notably, Mike’s early “clown costume” suggestion to his lawyer eerily prefigures how the murder was committed. [36:22]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marlene’s Love of Clowns:

  • "Marlene and her mother both collect clown toys and figurines… fills her shelves and walls with various clown decorations." [04:55]

• Regarding Marlene’s Fears:

  • "She told her mother, if anything happens to me, Mike did it." [07:44]
  • "Don’t put it past him." [08:25]

• Chilling “Clown at the Door” Sequence:

  • "As she's pulling the door open, Marlene says, 'Oh, how sweet.' This is the last thing Marlene ever says…" [09:42]
  • "That's when the clown draws a gun and shoots Marlene in the face, point blank." [09:49]

• On the Cruelty of the Crime:

  • “There is a level of cruelty to this crime. For someone to dress up as a clown and murder her… This was not an average murder, because that was on purpose.” [38:13]

• On Sheila’s Clown Costume at the Party:

  • “One year, Sheila attended this company party while dressed as a clown. This is, like, a really strange choice given the fact that Marlene was murdered by someone in a clown costume and that's her husband's murdered wife.” [27:48]

• On Mike’s Pre-Murder Conversation (via lawyer):

  • "Mike immediately speculated that the best way to get away with murder was… to wear a costume. Specifically, a clown costume. The baggy jumpsuit and face makeup would make it difficult for any eyewitnesses to know who the killer was or even determine a gender." [36:22]

• Host’s Reflection on the Aftermath:

  • “This was destruction. This was vile. So please, please, please keep her surviving friends and family in your thoughts today.” [39:34]

Timeline of Key Segments (Timestamps)

• [04:05] — Biological fear of clowns and Marlene’s fondness/collection
• [07:44] — Marlene’s warnings to family about Mike
• [09:42] — The killing: Marlene’s last words; clown shoots her point blank
• [11:17] — Aftermath: Race to help Marlene, her death in hospital
• [15:23] — Discovery of abandoned LeBaron, hair evidence
• [17:43] — Costume shop witness describes woman buying clown outfit
• [19:16] — Mike’s “inheritance after murder” question to lawyer
• [21:25] — Mike's alibi; suspicions of his indirect involvement
• [25:37] — Mike’s fraud crimes, relationship, and marriage to Sheila
• [27:48] — Sheila dresses as clown at Halloween party
• [32:09] — 2017: DNA links Sheila to hair in getaway car
• [34:10] — Physical and circumstantial evidence tying Sheila to the crime
• [36:22] — Mike’s prior “clown costume” suggestion resurface
• [36:44] — Sheila’s plea deal, release in 2024
• [38:13] — Payton’s analysis: cruelty, hatred, and motive
• [39:34] — Reflection on the case’s emotional toll, injustice for Marlene

Conclusion

Payton Moreland weaves a complex tale of love, betrayal, and murder, highlighting not just the shocking details of the “killer clown” but the slow unraveling of justice and the haunting open questions that linger. The deliberate use of Marlene’s love of clowns against her stands out as a cruel, calculated act, raising lasting questions about motive and agency. Payton encourages listeners to reflect on the pain experienced by Marlene’s family and to consider both the legal and ethical dimensions of closure—and lack thereof—in true crime.

For more thoughts or to share your theories, connect with Payton on social media or via the podcast comments. And remember: keep Marlene’s friends and loved ones in your thoughts as we go further… into the dark.