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Arrest made in 27-year-old Florida 'clown murder' cold case

Arrest made in Florida 'clown murder' cold case
Posted at 4:16 PM, Sep 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-27 07:04:22-04

An arrest was made Tuesday in a 27-year-old 'clown murder' cold case, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. 

Marlene Warren was fatally shot in Wellington, Florida on May 26, 1990, when a person dressed as a clown carrying a flower arrangement and two balloons pulled into her driveway in a white Chrysler LeBaron. The clown offered Warren the items as she answered the front door and then killed her. 

Witnesses said they heard a gunshot before Warren fell to the ground. The person dressed as a clown calmly walked back to the car and drove away, they said.

Warren sustained a gunshot wound to the face and was transported to Palm West Hospital, where she died two days later, according to the report. 

The initial investigation led detectives to identify the suspect as Sheila Keen, however, an arrest was never made. 

The homicide investigation was reopened in 2014. Witnesses were re-contacted and additional DNA analysis was conducted. 

Officials learned that Sheila Keen married Michael Warren, the victim's husband, in 2002. 

According to the report, the couple was living in Tennessee where they operated a restaurant together. 

As a result of the investigation, Sheila Keen was linked to the murder of Marlene Warren. 

The case was presented to a grand jury on August 31, 2017, and a true bill for first-degree murder was issued and an arrest warrant was obtained for Warren. 

Sheila Keen was located in Washington County, Va., and arrested without incident on Tuesday. 

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detectives thanked Washington County Sheriff Fred Newman for his agencies assistance. 

PBSO detectives received assistance from the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, U.S. Marshal's Task Force Western District of Virginia, detectives from the Washington County Virginia Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.