‘20/20’ Reports on a Clown Who Murdered a Florida Mother in Cold Blood, Leading to a 30-Year Journey To Bring the Killer to Justice

In May 1990, a clown carrying balloons and flowers walked up to Marlene Warren’s home in an affluent southern Florida suburb and shot and killed the 40-year-old mother at point-blank range when she opened the door. Friends and family were quick to raise suspicion about her husband, Michael Warren, but his denial and airtight alibi brought investigators back to square one, leading to a 33-year journey to solve the case. Finally, in April 2023, Michael’s second wife, Sheila Keen-Warren, pled guilty to second-degree murder. In this episode of “20/20,” co-anchor Deborah Roberts takes a look at the decadeslong case and details how authorities finally brought the killer to justice.

“20/20” interviews the victim’s son, Joe Ahrens, who opens up about the life-altering knock at the door that morning, what ensued, and how the murder has impacted his life. In addition, “20/20” has interviews with Greg Rosenfeld, the defense attorney for Sheila Keen; Dave Aronberg, the state attorney for Palm Beach County; and Reid Scott and Aleathea McRoberts, assistant state attorneys. The two-hour program includes interviews with family members of the victim, witnesses to the crime and key investigators who helped crack the case. The show also features crime scene and family photos. “20/20” airs Friday, May 24 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC, next day on Hulu. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 5/5/2023)

ABC News’ “20/20” is the No. 1 award-winning primetime program anchored by David Muir and Deborah Roberts. A proven leader as a long-form newsmagazine for over 45 years, “20/20” features unforgettable, character-driven true-crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Janice Johnston is the executive producer. The two-hour “20/20” events air Fridays from 9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT on ABC and are available to stream on ABC News digital platforms and Hulu.

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Sarah Jautz
sarah.jautz@abc.com

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