On March 19, 1960, Kansas City police were called to the home James and Sharon Kinne for what they believed was an accidental shooting. According to Sharon, she had found their two-year-old daughter lying on the couple’s bed, a gun near her hand and her father’s body next to her with a large hole in his head. Unable to find evidence to the contrary, the shooting was ruled an accident and Sharon collected on her husband’s life insurance policy. It wasn’t until a few months later, when the wife of Sharon’s new boyfriend went missing and eventually turned up dead, that investigators came to believe that James Kinne’s death was no accident.

Sharon Kinne was eventually arrested and charged with the murders of her husband James and of Patricia Jones, the wife of Sharon’s boyfriend at the time of her arrest. During the course of their investigation, detectives began unraveling a lurid tale of infidelity and conspiracy that resulted in at least two murders. Ultimately, Sharon would be acquitted of her Patricia Jones’ murder, and would be tried three times for the murder of James Kinne.

Before she could be tried for a fourth time, Sharon fled to Mexico with the help of yet another boyfriend, where she killed Francisco Parades Ordoñez in what she claimed was self-defense. The Mexican authorities rejected that claim and in 1964. Sharon was tried and convicted for murder, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. However, after serving just five years of her sentence, Sharon Kinne escaped the Mexican prison and has been on the run ever since. Today, more than fifty years later, she is still considered a fugitive with active warrants out for her arrest.

Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe pod, for research assistance

References

Doyle, Patricia Janson. 1962. "Sharon thinks of trial, jury and jail." Kansas City Times, January 13: 1.

Hays, James C. 1997. I'm Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story. Leawood, KS: Leathers Book Publishing.

Kansas City Star. 1961. "Anxious in his hunt for wife." Kansas City Star, June 16: 1.

—. 1961. "'Changed her story on gun'." Kansas City Star, June 15: 1.

—. 1960. "Fin a woman slain in woods." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1.

—. 1962. "'Fixed a price for his death'." Kansas City Star, January 9: 1.

—. 1960. "Officers study life of families in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1.

—. 1960. "Puzzled over a fatal shot." Kansas City Star, March 20: 1.

—. 1960. "Rap coroner in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, June 2: 1.

—. 1960. "Weird ties in murder probe." Kansas City Star, May 29: 1.

Kansas City Times. 1962. "Boldizs views offer as jest." Kansas City Times, January 10: 1.

—. 1969. "Kinne Search Widens." Kansas City Times, December 9: 1.

—. 1962. "Mrs. Kinne found guilty." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1.

—. 1961. "Sharon Kinne goes free." Kansas City Times, June 23: 1.

—. 1962. "Somber Sharon Kinne starts jail routine." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1.

Kelleghan, Kevin. 1969. "Sharon Kinne hunt eases up." Kansas City Times, December 18: 31.

Maryville Daily Forum. 1961. "Testimony on death gun to KC jurors." Marysville Daily Forum, June 19: 1.

Olwine, Margaret. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever, part II." Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 14.

—. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever?" Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 17-19.

Weber, David. 1964. "Sharon Kinne in jail." Kansas City Star, September 20: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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