In a perplexing case, Sheila Keen-Warren, 61, convicted of a bizarre 1990 murder while dressed as a clown, was released from prison this past Saturday. According to NBC Miami, Keen-Warren pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Marlene Warren but has maintained her innocence. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison but was released after about seven years due to good behavior following her 2017 arrest.

The Florida Department of Corrections confirmed Sheila Keen-Warren's early release, which was initially expected within two years of her plea. Keen-Warren, who had been an employee and later the wife of Marlene Warren's husband, Michael Warren, faced a possible life sentence before accepting a plea deal just before her trial. Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg noted that her conviction is irreversible, stating that "Sheila Keen-Warren will always be an admitted convicted murderer and will wear that stain for every day for the rest of her life," according to CBS News.

The case began on May 26, 1990, when Marlene Warren was fatally shot by a clown carrying balloons, and it remained unresolved for nearly three decades. Improved DNA testing led to Keen-Warren's arrest in 2017, by which time she had married the victim's widower. Keen-Warren's attorney, Greg Rosenfeld, has consistently defended her innocence and expressed relief at her release, texting, "We are absolutely thrilled that Ms. Keen-Warren has been released from prison and is returning to her family. As we’ve stated from the beginning, she did not commit this crime," as per CBS News report.

Michael Warren, who denies any involvement in Marlene's murder, has faced his own legal issues, including convictions for grand theft and racketeering, though he has not been charged in connection with his former wife's death.