The enigma surrounding the fate of a U.S. woman, who faced trial for three homicides before vanishing from a Mexican prison more than five decades ago, is on the brink of being unraveled.
Authorities are scheduled to hold a press conference this Thursday to delve into the case of Sharon Kinne. Before turning 25, she was accused of killing her husband in Missouri, her lover’s wife, and a man she met in a bar in Mexico.
Since her reported escape from the Ixtacalapan prison on December 7, 1969, Kinne’s location has remained unknown. Her story has gained significant attention, featured in the book titled “I’m Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story,” as well as in various podcasts and television programs, including Discovery I.D.’s “Deadly Women.”
An FBI representative directed inquiries to the Jackson County sheriff’s office in Missouri; however, the office stated that there would be no confirmations of information, including her possible death, prior to the scheduled conference. A press release teased that answers will soon be revealed.
“We hope that through addressing this case, we can bring a sense of closure to the victims’ families and friends, as well as to those impacted by her actions, which includes her own loved ones,” said the sheriff’s department in its announcement regarding the press event.
Sharon Kinne married young, at the age of 16, and was living in the Independence, Missouri region in March 1960 when her 25-year-old husband, James Kinne, was shot in the back of the head while he was sleeping. This area lies near Kansas City.
According to the mother of two, she heard her 2-year-old daughter inquire, “How does this thing work, Daddy?” just before a gunshot was fired. Kinne claimed she rushed into the bedroom to find her child holding her husband’s .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol. The authorities classified the death as an accident.
However, revelations emerged during court proceedings indicating that Kinne and her husband had been experiencing serious marital issues, and she had been engaging in relationships with other men.
Reports and investigator interviews suggest that Kinne encountered car salesman Walter Jones while using the proceeds from her husband’s life insurance and their home sale to purchase a new vehicle.
About five weeks after this meeting, Patricia Jones, Walter’s wife, was discovered murdered.
On June 1, 1960, Kinne was charged with Patricia Jones’ murder, prompting the police to revisit James Kinne’s case, leading to an indictment against her for that as well.
In June 1961, Kinne stood trial for Patricia’s murder, resulting in an all-male jury acquitting her amidst applause in the courtroom.
In January 1962, she was convicted of her husband’s murder. However, the Missouri Supreme Court later annulled this conviction due to issues with jury selection. She faced a retrial, but the jury failed to reach a consensus on a verdict.
Following these legal battles, Kinne moved to Mexico City. One night, she met a man at a bar and invited him to a hotel. Gunfire erupted at around 3 a.m., leaving Francisco Ordonez dead on the floor. Kinne was subsequently sentenced to 13 years for this crime.
Ballistic examinations supported the theory that a firearm confiscated from Kinne’s motel in Mexico was used to kill Patricia Jones. However, due to legal restrictions, Kinne could not be retried for that murder, prompting prosecutors to close the case permanently.
In the lead-up to her escape, Kinne gave several interviews and became known in Mexico as “La Pistolera,” or “The Gunslinger.” In a 1965 interview with the Saturday Evening Post, she remarked, “I knew out there, outside of Kansas City and Independence, that the world was moving along somewhere, and I wasn’t going anywhere.”
