Loading summary
Narrator
My favorite guilty pleasure is getting lost in stories so delicious I forget about the pressures of my daily grind. Dipsea is a female founded app for spicy audiobooks and more created by women for the female gaze. Stolen glances, slow burns, enemies to lovers. All of your favorite story types all in one place. Don't worry, Dipsea has it. They have rugged cowboys, Scottish sailors, even a risque version of Pride and Prejudice. And you can even search by genre so you never miss out on your must listens. I think Dipsea is a perfect way to de stress and escape into a story rich with drama, romance and even fantasy. Right now you can get a 30 day free trial plus 25% off your annual subscription when you go to dipseastories.comsnapt. that's D I P S E A stories.com snapd for 30 free days and 25% off your subscription. Dipsystories.com snapped audible ignites your next action.
Packed adventure with thrills of every kind. On your command, dive into the Silent Patient by Alex Michaelitis. A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Masterfully narrated by Jack Hawkins and Louise Freely. From electrifying suspense and daring quests to spine tingling horror and romance in far off realms, unleash your adventurous side with gripping titles. Discover exclusive Audible originals, hotly anticipated new releases and must listen bestsellers that hook you from the first minute because Audible knows there's no greater thrill than the one that speaks to you. Discover what lies beyond the edge of your seat. Start your free 30 day trial at audible.com wonderypod that's audible.com wonderypod a surprise late night visit leads to a horrifying discovery.
Judith Nix
My ex husband, he's passed away.
Detective
There were two bullet holes.
Investigator
He has a revolver in one of his hands.
Detective
Start questioning exactly what we had. If it was a suicide or a homicide.
Narrator
To get to the truth, investigators must make sense of a complicated dynamic.
Family Member
It's very clear this family, these women are very close to each other.
Investigator
There appeared to be a weird and very close nexus between them.
Narrator
But will this tangled loyalty come undone from the inside out?
Investigator
He starts to relay that there's more going on here that you need to be aware of.
Family Member
She had foreclosure on her house. Her cars were being repossessed. This is out of desperation, he said.
Judith Nix
If you do not give me the money, he said, I will kill you and hide your life.
Family Member
The only narrative we have left is one of premeditated, cold blooded, calculated murder.
Narrator
March 21, 2016 Broken Arrow, Oklahoma at 9:11pm 911 Operators receive a frantic call from 69 year old Judith Nix.
Judith Nix
My ex husband, he's passed away. It looks like a gun. Flying spider. That's him. What's his name? Kenneth. Nick. Can I add, where is he at in the house? He's in the master bedroom. Okay. And you had a key to let yourself in? Well, I've got a garage door open. I dropped by to bring him some chicken for supper and I'm his ex wife. Really? Sure.
Narrator
Been suicidal at all?
Judith Nix
Yes. He's got so many health issues that neuropathy is getting so painful that he just can't deal with it anymore.
Narrator
Officers with the broken Arrow Police Department arrive at the rural home of 69 year old Ken Nix.
Investigator
When they arrive, they find Judith Nix in the front yard. She looks distraught.
Narrator
Judith directs the officers towards Ken's bedroom in the back of the house.
Detective
Upon arrival, there was Mr. Nix deceased in the master bedroom with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. And there was a gun underneath his hand. Mr. Nix had an injury to the left temple, blood running down his face. There was blood on his shirt that he was wearing.
After seeing that it was a suicide, they call out the detectives to come out and investigate.
Narrator
As investigators arrive, a tearful Judith tells them that she finds. Feared this day would come.
Investigator
Judith says he suffered from this chronic medical condition. He was in a tremendous amount of pain. He was very unhappy.
Family Member
My dad was on methadone because he has neuropathy and a lot of pain issues.
Detective
According to her, he had talked about shooting and killing himself and initially, you know, it looked like a suicide. But questions are clicking in your mind that, you know, is this really a suicide or is it something else?
Narrator
Ken Nix was born on September 19, 1946 to Belton and Betty Nix in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Family Member
He had six siblings. My father was the oldest.
During his childhood in Lake Charles, he loved to restore cars as a hobby and tinkered with vehicles and motorcycles in general because he was very much into motorcycles.
Narrator
After high school, Ken followed his love for mechanics and attended technical school where he honed his skills before opening up his own service station.
Family Member
My dad was a very good mechanic. He was the youngest Texaco gas station owner in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Narrator
Ken was hoping to find someone to share his success with. And in his 20s he met Manita Moriarty and fell in love.
Family Member
My dad told me that when he first met my mother, Manita, it was at an apartment complex. My father and my mother were married in 1966 and then I was born February 20, 1967, and then a year later had my sister. Just a year right after that, we moved to Tulsa to be closer to my grandmother. After that, they had my brother. I remember seeing a lot of videos of us as young children, and my father and mother just looked happy. But eventually there was some issues, and I know that they got separated. So me and my brother and my sister were living in an apartment with my mother, Manita.
Narrator
Unfortunately, on August 29, 1974, tragedy struck the family.
Family Member
And during that separation, I was age 7, my mother called my father and said that she was going to commit suicide. And my mother did commit suicide. I remember my father being there and he took us home and we never saw our mother again.
Narrator
Over the next 10 years, Ken married and divorced three more times.
Family Member
I asked my father, I said, dad, why do you keep getting married all the time? He said, son, I want you guys to have both a mom and a father figure, and I'm going to try it till I get it right.
Narrator
While his marriages may have failed, Ken's professional life flourished. In 1980, he started his own business.
Family Member
He opened up Inland divers business, a commercial scuba diving business.
Inland Divers had salvage capabilities so they could pull vehicles out of the water or boulders near a dam. He could do anything and make money.
Narrator
But even with all that success, Ken never gave up searching for love. And in 1984, he met Judith Bailey, a divorced mother of two daughters, 16 year old Angela and 12 year old Shelly.
Family Member
My sister Kim was going to go do a sleepover. When my sister was being brought home, Judith met my father and I guess there was an attraction there.
Narrator
When Judith met Ken Nix, she was not looking for romance.
Growing up, Judith spent most of her life in church and studying, Kept to herself.
Family Member
She was born and raised in Texas, and then she moved to Tulsa near her parents.
Narrator
As a young woman, Judith caught the eye of the preacher's son.
Their lifelong friendship turned into romance and they married in the late 1960s.
Family Member
Judy and her husband lived out in the country, 30 minutes outside of Tulsa, and she was an accountant for Amoco at the time.
Narrator
Shortly after having two kids, Judith and her husband divorced. There was drinking and infidelity and, well, Judith just couldn't take it anymore.
Judith was reluctant to commit to anything serious, but Ken pulled out all the stops.
Ken introduced Judith to scuba diving and it became a shared passion between them.
Family Member
They were very much into diving. Judy was wonderful. I never heard them fight, but in my previous moms there were fights, you know, around us. But with Judy, I never Noticed any issues.
Narrator
A year after meeting, they married in February 1985, and shortly after, Judith moved in with Ken and his kids.
Family Member
I was probably 13 by the time she moved in.
Narrator
Her two daughters, Shelly and Angela, chose to stay with their father, who lived nearby.
Family Member
They had another high school they went to and friends, so it just was good for their rhythm.
Narrator
Once the newlywed phase ended, Ken and Judith got down to business. They focused on the growth of inland divers.
Family Member
She became part of the business with the administrative side and then going to the sites with him.
Narrator
For years, both their business and family life were thriving. But after almost three decades of marriage, the couple found themselves unable to meet on common ground.
Family Member
My father raised me and my brother to be there, able to be on her own and not dependent on anybody. But Judy coddled her kids, financed her kids anytime they had a problem. And that caused turmoil between my father and Judy. So communication between the two was diminishing.
Narrator
Judith and ken divorced in 2011, ending 26 years of marriage. But even after five years of being divorced, the couple had a hard time letting go.
Family Member
She had went and bought her own house, but Judith was still staying at my dad's house.
Sometimes they spent a lot of time together. After the divorce, Judy would come over and they would eat dinner.
Narrator
But their family's world is shattered on March 21, 2016, when Judith calls 911 to report that she's just found Ken dead from an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigator
Judith says, last time I was here was the night before between 4 to 5pm and left because he got kind of grumpy and tired.
Narrator
She says she tried calling Ken several times earlier that day, but he didn't answer.
Detective
Ultimately, she went to the store to get some chicken for dinner and came back to the residence that evening.
Narrator
Judith says she arrived around 9pm that.
Detective
Was when she went back to the bedroom and found him on the bed. She just noticed the gun laying next to him, so she just assumed that Mr. Nix had shot himself.
Investigator
Judith says, I found him like this without further information and at this point in time, we don't know what does or doesn't add up.
Narrator
Before investigators get a chance to ask more questions, they notice she seems unwell.
Investigator
She appears to be physically distraught. She complains of chest pain.
Detective
He asked her if she was feeling okay and she said that she wasn't. The EMS who came out to the scene and determined that she needed to go to the hospital.
Narrator
Coming up, a scene seemingly straightforward case takes a twisted turn.
Detective
The medical examiner found that there were.
Narrator
Two bullet holes and Investigators uncover family secrets.
Family Member
There's a lot of bitterness. There's a lot of ingrained rage.
Investigator
They viewed him to be somebody who was mean and just, someone they absolutely did not have a good relationship with.
Narrator
In March of 2016, police in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, are investigating a reported suicide after Ken Nix is found dead inside his home with a gun in his hand. While giving her statement to investigators, Ken's ex wife, Judith, begins experiencing chest pains.
Investigator
So they're wanting to take her to the hospital. In doing so, they're asking, is there anything that they can do to help her or help make sure the house is okay? And she said yes. Call Shelly. Shelly was her daughter. She wanted Shelly to come take care of her dog.
Narrator
Less than an hour after officials responded to the scene, Judith is transported to the hospital while detectives head back inside.
Detective
Once we got to the bedroom, we found him. The gun was laying next to him, and initially, you know, it looked like a suicide.
Narrator
The medical examiner joins detectives, and they take a closer look at Ken's injuries.
Detective
The blood on the side of his head was dry, and I could see lividity. Lividity is the pooling of blood. It takes hours to develop.
We were able to deduct that he had been there quite a while, but we had a general idea that it had been early in the morning that he supposedly had shot himself.
Narrator
The medical examiner determines ken died around 7:30am approximately 14 hours before Judith called 911.
Detective
We knew that there had been a delay in the call to 911, and that could have been just because there was no one there to find him.
Narrator
But then the medical examiner makes a startling discovery.
Detective
He was able to move the body and clean off some of the blood and found that there were two bullet holes approximately an inch apart.
Narrator
Investigators are immediately suspicious of Judith's story.
Detective
Who commits suicide in his able to shoot themselves twice in the head.
Narrator
And upon closer inspection of Ken's body, investigator Jackie Smithson catches a new clue.
Detective
I saw that the blood stain on the shirt that Mr. Nix was wearing at the time didn't align with the injury and the position in which he was in. Blood flows with gravity, the laws of physics. So the injury was to his left temple, and the blood should have ran straight down. But the shirt was in a position in which the blood ran at an angle from his left side to his navel instead of straight down. So there was movement after he was shot. At that point, we realized that we have a homicide.
Narrator
After the suicide theory falls apart, the homicide investigation goes into full swing. The Team starts to comb the house for.
Detective
There was nothing knocked over. There were no signs of a struggle. The house was just normal. No signs of forced entry.
Narrator
In the kitchen, investigators spot the dinner Judith reported bringing for her ex husband.
Detective
On the kitchen island there was a container that was holding fried chicken.
Narrator
And they find something else of interest.
Detective
We did observe that there was a security type camera that was pointing toward the master bedroom.
We went ahead and seized the camera system, security system. We sent that away to a lab to look at it.
Narrator
As investigators continue processing the scene, they get word that Judith's youngest daughter Shelly has just arrived at Ken's to pick up her dog.
Family Member
When Nix's daughter Shelly came to recover the dog, she made a passing comment that caused some of the officers to perk up.
Investigator
Shelly is talking to officers and says, oh yes, I was here earlier this morning when my mom was here.
Detective
Judith told us that she hadn't been at that house since the 20th, the day before.
Investigator
Could there be an explanation? Sure. Lady just found her ex husband's dead body. That could make anybody distraught, but it's going to give them things they need to follow up on.
Family Member
Her statements, timeline wise, are not linked with Judith. They ask Shelly to come back to the police station and give a more thorough statement.
Narrator
Judith is held at the hospital overnight for observation. The following morning on March 22, detectives sit down with 47 year old Shelly Davis. Investigators question Shelly about her mother's relationship with Ken.
Detective
We started getting a lot more information on the relationship between Kenneth and Judith, that it wasn't a great relationship.
Narrator
Shelly claims that Ken was hostile towards Judith.
Detective
Shelly, she made accusations that he had abused her, pushed her around, threatened her and stuff like that.
Investigator
You got very quickly a sense of they did not like Kenneth Nix and Kenneth Nix did not like Shelly or her sister Angela. They viewed him to be somebody who was mean, somebody who was abusive. They absolutely did not have a good relationship with.
Narrator
Next detectives ask Shelly for her whereabouts the day prior. She tells police she went to ken's house around 11 o' clock that morning.
Detective
She said she went to the house and she was met at the front door by Judith and they exchanged money there. She never went inside the residence.
Narrator
With the estimated time of death at 7:30am Investigators now suspect Ken was already dead when Shelly stopped by the house.
Family Member
Now we have a problem because if Judith's been there all morning, then it's clear she's known about his death for a lot longer.
Narrator
At this point, they don't think that Judith or Shelly are being completely honest here. They already know Judith lied.
Detective
It's a homicide, and if you have information, you need to release that information. They were trying to be secretive about it.
Narrator
In an effort to pin down the truth, investigators make a bold move.
Detective
We charged her with accessory to murder. We're not looking to, you know, put everybody in jail. We just want to find the right person. We thought that we could put pressure a little bit on Judith, that, hey, we arrested your daughter Shelly. We're coming after you. You're next.
Narrator
But before they get a chance to pay Judith a visit, a call comes in to the Broken Arrow police department from Todd Moore, her daughter Angela's ex, claiming he has information on Ken's murder.
Investigator
Todd Moore makes his own phone call to the police to say, hey, there's more going on here that you need.
Family Member
To be aware of.
Investigator
What's happening is not the way that it's being port.
Narrator
Coming up, a family insider brings forth a shocking claim.
Family Member
He's thinking, oh, my goodness, are you coming to me with this and telling me this?
Narrator
Leaving investigators with more questions than answers.
Investigator
There's nothing really to tell us who did or didn't actually pull that trigger.
Narrator
This show is sponsored by Liquid iv. For me, summer means barbecues, beach days, and more time spent outdoors. Staying hydrated has never been easier, thanks to Liquid iv. My favorite flavor is firecracker. It's perfect for summer nostalgia, but I use it all year round. All you have to do is add one stick to 16 ounces of water. Plus, you can always control how much you put into your glass, so you're always in charge of how much flavor you add. It's scientifically formulated to help replenish electrolytes and fluids lost from sweat or exercise. Perfect for those hot summer days. Whether you want to work out, recover from a night out with friends, or relax by the pool in the heat, Liquid IV can help make drinking water fun and not just a chore. Break the mold and own your ritual. Just one stick and 16 ounces of water hydrates better than water alone. Get ready for summer with extraordinary hydration from Liquid IV. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid IV when you go to LiquidIV.com and use code snapped at checkout. That's 20% off your first order with code snapped@liquidiv.com the mother of all sales.
Is happening right now at designer shoe warehouse. Score up to 25% off. Big deal brands like Adidas, Crocs, Converse, Reebok and more. And just in time for mother's day. Find the perfect gift for her or for you, because mama needs a new pair of shoes. And hurry. This mother Lovin deal ends Sunday. Save up to 25% at your DSW store or DSW.com today. Authorities in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, investigating the shooting death of Ken Nix are getting ready to question his estranged wife Judith, when they receive a call from her former son in law, Todd Moore, Angela's ex husband.
Investigator
Todd winds up calling police himself, trying to give them the information about what he had at least heard or seen about what actually took place inside the home.
Narrator
Todd tells detectives that around noon on the day of the murder, his ex Angela and her sister Shelly showed up with quite a story to tell.
Family Member
Shelly and her sister Angela actually end up going to Angela's estranged husband's house where they tell him that Judith has shot Kenneth. He's thinking, well, my goodness, why are you coming to me with this and telling me this?
Narrator
Todd says Angela and Shelly were desperately trying to figure out how to help their mother cover up the crime.
Family Member
According to Todd, they had discovered discussed her fleeing to the Philippines. At one point, they had discussed staging the scene as a robbery.
Narrator
Refusing to participate in their brainstorming session, Todd urged the women to take a different course of action.
Family Member
Todd actually encouraged them to self report, which caused Angela, I believe, to leave. She just up walked away, obviously distraught.
Narrator
Todd tells authorities he has not seen or heard from Angela since.
Family Member
Todd's crucial because he's the first person who doesn't have a vested interest in seeing her get away with it necessarily.
Narrator
Todd makes it clear to detectives that Judith and her daughters are unwavering in their loyalty to one another.
Family Member
It actually puts the picture together completely because you have to understand people lie for reasons. It's very clear this family, these women are very close to each other in the case.
Investigator
In regards to motive for why this happened, investigators start looking at the animosity between both Shelly and Angela and Kenneth Nix and Judith. But there's nothing really to tell us one way or the other who did or didn't actually pull that trigger.
Narrator
Before detectives make their next move, they hear back about the security cameras found in Kent's home.
Investigator
They found there was no memory to recover. There was no videos to recover. Unfortunately, they were never able to determine what exactly happened to the security footage. But again, this is another red flag, something else that adds to the pile of this doesn't make sense.
Narrator
Still hoping to get to the bottom of what happened inside the Nix home that morning, investigators head to the hospital to speak with Judith.
Investigator
Once Shelly was arrested, Judith Nix in the hospital, tells One of the officers. I'm ready to talk to the detectives now. Judith starts to describe Kendall's deteriorating physical health and his mental health again, that he was angry and uncomfortable.
Narrator
But then Judith admits that she hasn't been completely honest with police. She presents them with a very different chain of events leading up to Ken's death.
Judith Nix
He was lonely and he had somebody there, but he's just impossible. Impossible to live with. Cause of all those health issues, plus the money situation. Ken's been on a binge 10 years about me owing him money or what he spent on my kids. We don't have any kids together.
Narrator
From what I understand of him, from.
Family Member
What I know of him from previous.
Detective
He'S got plenty of money.
Judith Nix
He always has money. There never seemed to be enough for him.
Narrator
Judith also tells investigators what Shelly already reported, that she had long suffered domestic violence at the hands of her ex husband.
Judith Nix
He's threatened me all the time. He's hit me. Verbal abuse has been absolutely out of this world. You know, it's easy to say, you just leave, but I love the guy.
Narrator
You said he'd been violent in the past. Perhaps he threatened you, his friend?
Judith Nix
Yes, and he wants me to give him money that he spent on my kids. He said, well, I'll take 21,000. And I said, well, I don't have $21,000, Ken, to give you.
Narrator
The morning of Ken's murder, Judith says Ken confronted her in the bedroom, this time with his gun in hand.
Judith Nix
He said, if you do not give me the money, he said, I will kill you and hide your body.
Narrator
Fearing for her life and acting on instinct, Judith lunged at him, and a scuffle ensued.
Judith Nix
I grabbed the gun because I was trying to turn it wrestler away from me, but I didn't know what I was planning on doing. And I managed to get it away from him. Somehow, some way twisted it, and then the gun went off.
Narrator
How many times did the gun go off?
Judith Nix
Twice, I believe.
Detective
Judith Nix said she panicked after what occurred, went to her daughters for support and direction as to what she should do, and created a worse situation.
Narrator
There's only one problem. Judith's account doesn't match up with the evidence found at the scene.
Investigator
There does not appear to be really any evidence of a struggle, signs of a fight, a physical or verbal altercation that led to somebody losing it. And we have a man with two bullet holes in his head where she said I had to shoot him. Those facts don't line up whatsoever.
Narrator
The investigation is far from over, but they aren't letting Judith leave the hospital a free woman.
Family Member
Judith Nix was charged with murder, so she was arrested there and transported immediately from the hospital to the jail for booking.
Narrator
There is one person alleged to be involved who police haven't talked to yet. Judith's daughter, Angela.
Investigator
Shelly and Angela may have been involved either in planting it or the very least and helping clean it up and conceal it after the fact.
Detective
We went looking for Angela. We knew where she lived in Tulsa, and we went to her residence a couple of times and couldn't find her.
Narrator
In the meantime, detectives put in a request for phone records for Angela, Shelly, and Judith.
Investigator
Police are talking to Shelly. They're starting to get some statements from Judith, but they haven't heard from Angela yet. They were leaving voicemails like, you need to come in.
Narrator
When they have no luck finding Angela, they issue a material witness warrant for her arrest.
Coming up, investigators reach for a bluff.
Investigator
In confronting her with the camera or the possible footage. She got a little spook.
Narrator
And a well hidden motive emerges.
Family Member
He was always getting his pills taken. I believe it was to fuel her drug habit.
Narrator
It's been 48 hours since the murder of Ken Nix, and investigators have his ex wife Judith and her daughter Shelly in police custody while they work to track down her other daughter Angela.
Detective
We needed to find her because we're trying to get the three pieces together just to get the right story.
Narrator
Finally, three days after Ken's murder, Angela Moore turns up.
Investigator
It takes days of trying to communicate with her to get her to come in to her, where the police almost have to issue a warrant to get her to come in. She finally comes in and provides a statement.
Narrator
Despite her ex husband Todd's claims, Angela says that she knows nothing about Ken's murder.
Investigator
Angela made statements of, I was in the house, but I didn't go into the bedroom. I just kind of stayed in the front area.
Narrator
Angela told police she didn't help cover anything up and she didn't help stage this suicide.
Investigators don't believe they reach for a bluff, telling Angela that the security camera in the kitchen was in working order.
Detective
There was no memory on that camera, so we had no access to anything that happened inside that residence.
Narrator
But instead of getting her to talk when investigators bring up the camera, Angela shuts down.
Investigator
In confronting Angela with a camera or the possible footage, Angela got a little spooked.
Detective
She lawyered up on us, and we really didn't get any information from her.
Investigator
And looking at Angela Shelley's and Judith's statements, none of them appeared really to match one with the other at the.
Narrator
Very least, investigators believe Judith's daughters tried to help her stage the suicide.
Investigator
When looking at Kenneth's closed, you know, they appear to be bunched somewhat under the armpits, like his body had attempted to be moved. The blood trail doesn't add up or make sense. And there's no other reason for her daughter to go into that house unless she's going to help her mother try to set the scene up and make it look different.
Narrator
To get to the truth, investigators take a deep dive into Judith and Ken's marriage, starting with Judith's claims that Ken was abusive.
Family Member
When Judith Nix raises the flag that I'm a victim of violence, we want to make sure I'm not further victimizing her by prosecuting her for defending herself. So we take it very seriously.
Narrator
Investigators do uncover a few domestic disturbance calls to the broken arrow police department over the last six years.
Investigator
In looking at Judith and Kenneth's relationship, we could tell things started to deteriorate more towards the end to where there were a couple of 911 calls placed between them.
Family Member
There had been several incidents, but ironically, some of those calls actually involved Kenneth calling the police and saying that Judith was threatening to kill him.
Detective
We had been out there, but nobody had ever been arrested. Nobody wanted to arrest anybody.
Narrator
Investigators gain more insight when they receive phone records for Judith, Shelly, and Angela.
Family Member
Once we get into her phones, we get into some heart stopping communications that Judith was having with her own daughters for weeks prior and days prior, she's texting about how much she dislikes and loathes Kenneth. When you look at these texts, there's a lot of bitterness. There's a lot of ingrained rage.
Narrator
As Judith's hatred for Ken comes into focus. Focus. So does a complicated financial dynamic.
Investigator
There appeared to be a weird and very close nexus between Judith Nix and her daughters and their financial status.
Family Member
Judy and my father would talk, and they would agree, we can't keep supporting our adult kids. But Jesus kept feeding money to them.
Narrator
In a disturbing turn. On March 15, just five days before the murder, Judith texts her daughter Angela about a gun.
Family Member
There's a lot of discussion with her and her daughters. One of the conversations that comes up involves a gun he discusses. At 22, the murder weapon in this case was a.22 caliber Ruger. And here she is days before the homicide, talking about about a.22 caliber gun to detectives.
Detective
That comes out as intent. You know, that she's thinking about getting a gun and shooting Ken.
Narrator
Investigators reach out to Ken's sons, Keith and Kevin. They confirm that the relationship between Judith and Ken was marred by distrust.
Judith stole money from Ken at every turn. Ken was onto her and was fed up with the stealing.
Family Member
The stealing with his money was prior to their divorce, and it was even after she was coming back over my father's house. The stealing was just a constant thing.
Narrator
But ken's sons tell investigators that wasn't the only thing she stole.
Family Member
He had neuropathy, and he was always getting his pills taken by Judy. And when he would confront her about the stealing, she would say that he was crazy and that he. That he just took too many pills and forgot. But she still would steal. I believe it was to fuel her drug habit.
Narrator
Kevin explains. That's what led his father to install the camera in the kitchen.
Family Member
He caught her on camera, and she'd say, sorry, sorry, sorry. And he's like, I need that for my neuropathy. The weekend prior to his murder, Judy was there and talked to my dad. He was like, things aren't good. He's like, she needs to leave. My father was telling my wife, it ain't good. Kind of said the same to him and me, but he's a man. It's his house, so we can't say anything.
Narrator
Following the interviews, investigators look into Judith's finances, and they find she was under a mountain of debt.
Investigator
Not only is she in financial distress, but you have some very specific statements from Kenneth of get me this money by this day. Get out. So you have that clock that's slowly ticking down to where she feels like she has no other choice but to kill Kenneth niggs.
Narrator
But investigators wonder, if Ken was Judith's gravy train, Wouldn't he be worth more to her alive than dead? Investigators discover that a condition of their divorce agreement may hold the answer to that question.
Investigator
After their divorce, at that point in time, Judith nix owned her own home. And there was the marital home of Kenneth and Judith, where she had a partial interest.
Narrator
At the time of their divorce, Ken nix was the sole tenant of the house. However, according to financial records, Judith maintained the right of survivorship.
Investigator
It's kind of a perfect storm to where, if Kenneth is gone, Judith receives the house in its entirety.
Family Member
So her deal was, I kill him, I get the whole house. So she would sell that be out of debt easily. But you can't kill somebody and gain. So she tried to make it look like a suicide.
Narrator
Coming up, Judith maintains her defense.
Investigator
They hired an expert to try to come in and talk about battered woman syndrome.
Narrator
But who will a jury believe?
Family Member
Judith nix did not seem like she would hurt a fly.
Narrator
Judith Nix remains in custody for her alleged involvement in the murder of Ken Nix. Investigators believe they have uncovered her true motive.
Investigator
The house and the property that would have gone to her. That appeared to be, to us, a driving motivating factor for Judith committing this homicide.
Narrator
With the evidence against Judith getting stronger by the day, prosecutors and investigators are ready to move forward with their case.
Family Member
The only narrative we have left is one of the premeditated, cold blooded, calculated murder. The decision was made to ultimately bring a murder first degree charge against Judith Nix.
Narrator
As prosecutors prepare for trial, they attempt to bring two unlikely witnesses on board. Judith's daughters, Angela and Shelly.
Investigator
Judith's daughters, as far as we can tell, we didn't find any evidence they were involved with trying to plan this or set it up.
Family Member
In this case, Priority number one, if somebody is shot, is making sure that the shooter, if they've committed a crime, is held accountable. Oftentimes that means that people who are ancillary to or in some ways after the fact, assisting their testimony is so necessary that we use that testimony as part of our prosecution. When you charge a defendant, they can't testify.
Narrator
In the end, Angela and Shelly are not charged in Ken's murder.
Investigator
While we might have our personal opinions about what happened without some of that actual evidence to be able to charge, we felt that it was far better to use their testimony in the light of witnesses.
Narrator
Judith Nix stands trial in March of 2017.
Family Member
The defense was trying to establish that Judith was a victim, that she was defending herself, that she had been consistently assaulted and battered by him. Judith Nix was a very sympathetic defendant in the sense that she did not seem like she would hurt a fly. She doesn't seem to be a threat to the community. These are all pinpoints to the defense focused on.
Narrator
Prosecutors argue that it was Judith who terrorized Ken. And on the morning of March 21, 2016, motivated by a mix of anger and greed, she snuck into his bedroom as he slept.
Family Member
The evidence was not consistent with Judith's story about a struggle over a gun, but it is consistent with her having approached him while he was asleep, pressing the gun to his face at very close range. The first shot was non lethal, would have been very painful, and then the evidence would have been consistent with Judith then taking the second time to press the gun closer to his head in firing. The lethal shot was the second shot.
Narrator
Prosecutors call Angela and Shelly to the the stand. The women testify about the panic that ensued in the aftermath of the murder.
Family Member
Judith's daughters said what we needed them to say in the sense of they told the bare minimum facts to line up the case. They helped us establish a timeline. They help us establish when things were said and what things were observed. Their testimony helped us knock out a bunch of different alternative possibilities. They did testify against their mother, and I know that wasn't easy. And they knew what they were saying. The parts that were true were going to be hurtful for her.
Narrator
On March 10, 2017, it takes the jury less than two hours to reach a verdict.
Family Member
Jury deliberated about an hour and a half and returned with a verdict and sentenced her to life in prison. No matter how sympathetic she was, no jury was going to side with her. Her decision to murder him in his sleep.
Narrator
Today, Ken's children and grandchildren are a living legacy of the man Ken was.
Family Member
I want everybody to know he was a great dad. He built three great kids that could stand on their own and take care of themselves.
The legacy Kenneth left behind was of a family that loved him deeply, of sons that miss him very much, of great grandkids who were never going to get to meet him. His sons essentially give him credit for everything that makes them who they are today.
Narrator
In 2018, Judith Nix filed an appeal and the judge upheld her conviction and her sentence. Judith Nix is eligible for parole, but would be 108 years old before she would qualify for release. Angela Moore and Michael Davis, initial charges were dropped and they have never been convicted of any crime related to Ken Nix's murder.
In the early hours of December 4, 2024, CEO Brian Thompson stepped out onto the streets of Midtown Manhattan. This assailant pulls out a weapon and.
Detective
Starts firing at him.
Narrator
We're talking about the CEO of the biggest private health insurance corporation in the world. And the suspect he has been identified.
Family Member
As Luigi Nicholas Mangione became one of.
Narrator
The most divisive figures in modern criminal history. I was targeted, premeditated. Admit to sow terror. I'm Jesse Weber, host of Luigi, produced by Law and Crime and Twist. This is more than a true crime investigation. We explore a uniquely American moment that could change the country forever.
He's awoken the people to a true issue. Finally, maybe this would lead rich and powerful people to acknowledge the barbaric nature.
Of our healthcare system. Listen to Law and Crime's Luigi exclusively on Wondery. Plus, you can join Wondery on the Wondery app, Spotify or Apple podcasts.
Podcast Summary: Snapped: Women Who Murder – Episode: Judith Nix
Release Date: May 11, 2025
In the gripping episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, hosted by Oxygen, listeners delve into the chilling case of Judith Nix, a woman whose intricate personal and financial struggles culminated in the tragic death of her ex-husband, Kenneth "Ken" Nix. Spanning over 29 seasons, "Snapped" explores the darkest corners of true crime, and this episode is no exception, offering a detailed examination of motive, manipulation, and the pursuit of justice.
Ken Nix was a successful businessman with a passion for mechanics, owning multiple service stations and inland diving businesses. Born on September 19, 1946, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Ken's early life was marked by tragedy, including the suicide of his first wife, Manita Moriarty, in 1974, leaving him to raise three children alone.
In 1984, Ken met Judith Bailey, a divorced mother of two, and the two quickly bonded over shared interests like scuba diving. They married in February 1985, integrating Judith into Ken's already complex family structure, which included his children Angela and Shelly. Despite a flourishing business and a seemingly stable family life, underlying tensions began to surface, particularly regarding financial management and interpersonal relationships.
Notable Quote:
On the evening of March 21, 2016, Judith Nix made a frantic 911 call reporting that Ken had died from an apparent suicide. She claimed to have found him in the master bedroom with a gun in his hand. However, several inconsistencies soon emerged.
Timeline of Events:
Notable Quote:
Detectives quickly grew suspicious of Judith's account. Key evidence contradicted her suicide narrative:
Multiple Bullet Holes:
Blood Patterns:
Security Camera Footage:
Family Involvement:
Notable Quote:
The prosecution built a strong case against Judith Nix, focusing on motive and evidence discrepancies:
Financial Motive:
Evidence of Abuse:
Daughters' Testimonies:
Expert Testimony:
Notable Quote:
On March 10, 2017, after a brief deliberation of just under two hours, the jury found Judith Nix guilty of first-degree murder, sentencing her to life in prison with eligibility for parole but unlikely to be released within a human lifetime.
Post-Trial Developments:
Notable Quote:
The Judith Nix case serves as a compelling example of how complex family dynamics, financial desperation, and manipulative behavior can culminate in tragedy. Through meticulous investigation and the unraveling of misleading narratives, justice was served, highlighting the critical role of forensic evidence and truthful testimonies in solving cold cases.
Listeners are left reflecting on the thin line between victim and perpetrator, and the profound impacts of unresolved trauma and financial strain on personal relationships.
Notable Highlights:
This detailed examination of the Judith Nix case underscores the intricate interplay of personal vendettas, financial motives, and the relentless pursuit of truth by investigators, making it a standout episode in the Snapped: Women Who Murder series.