FILE 44 / 15 November 2017 / 116 MIN / full

A Morning Time Slaughter

Kenton, DelawareListen

The town

N ↑Town centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

James says they are going to Kenton, Delaware, in Kent County, in the northwest part of the state, about 20 minutes outside Dover and 15 minutes from Marydel, Maryland about 0:06:37

History, in brief

Town note

Kenton sits where Route 42 and Route 300 cross, and the town website says it grew up at the crossroads.

about 0:13:15

1796

Kenton was first laid out in 1796 by Philip Lewis, who began acquiring property in the area around 1790.

about 0:13:24

1806

The community was first known as Grogtown, then Lewis Crossroads, and in 1806 it was named Kenton.

about 0:13:49

Town note

There is an Amish community just west of Dover, about 1,200 to 1,500 people, and the Amish Country bike tour every September is one of the largest cycling events in Delaware.

about 0:14:23
All 8 history facts

Town note

Kenton sits where Route 42 and Route 300 cross, and the town website says it grew up at the crossroads.

about 0:13:15

1796

Kenton was first laid out in 1796 by Philip Lewis, who began acquiring property in the area around 1790.

about 0:13:24

1806

The community was first known as Grogtown, then Lewis Crossroads, and in 1806 it was named Kenton.

about 0:13:49

Town note

There is an Amish community just west of Dover, about 1,200 to 1,500 people, and the Amish Country bike tour every September is one of the largest cycling events in Delaware.

about 0:14:23

2014

Rose Foods, a company in the town, was shuttered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014.

about 0:16:05

2017

Richard T. Kepfer of Hartley got a ticket in Kenton on July 15th, 2017, declared the town a speed trap and filed information requests; he found more than $131,000 in traffic tickets were collected in 2016.

about 0:15:36

1986

Delaware's method of execution was hanging until June 1986, when the General Assembly required lethal injection; executions must be carried out between 12.01 a.m. and 3 a.m.

about 1:39:41

1996

Bill Bailey was the last inmate hanged in Delaware, in 1996, because he was convicted before 1986; the hanging before that was in 1946.

about 1:39:06

The figures, as told

Religious

33.56%

Biggest faith: Catholic, 10.69%

about 0:19:26

Who lives here

White 68.60% · Black 2.89% · Asian 0.0% · Hispanic 25.21%

Ethnicity can overlap race.

Crime / national average

Property crime
▲ about 25% above average

about 0:25:40

Violent crime
▲ 25% above average

about 0:25:40

Money

Median home value$129,000
Two-bedroom rentabout $960
Median household incomealmost $40,000
Cost of living95

For sale

$199,000

Listing: three bed, two bath, 1,600 sq ft on High Street

about 0:22:55

For sale

$239,900

Listing: East Commerce Street, three bed, three bath

about 0:23:07
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2017

Population

"265"

Comparison: "about the same as in 1890". Direction: about the same.

As told in 2017 about 0:16:25

Median age

"24.5"

Comparison: "37.4 national". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:16:48

Male share of population

"almost 55%"

Comparison: "females usually almost about 51%". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:16:57

People per household

"2.36"

Comparison: "almost a full person more than the average". Direction: above.

As told in 2017 about 0:17:11

Single with children

"33.3%"

Comparison: "more than twice the average". Direction: above.

As told in 2017 about 0:17:42

White

"68.60%"

Comparison: "about 63% normal". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:18:05

Hispanic

"25.21%"

Comparison: "about 17% on average". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:19:08

Religious share

"33.56%"

Comparison: "lower than the 50% average". Direction: below.

As told in 2017 about 0:19:26

Catholic

"10.69%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:19:26

Registered Democrats

"52%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:20:10

Registered Republicans

"about 46%"

No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:20:10

Unemployment rate

"about 5%"

Comparison: "right on par with the national average". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:20:17

Household income

"almost $40,000"

Comparison: "about $14,000 below the national average of almost $54,000". Direction: below.

As told in 2017 about 0:20:27

Construction share of jobs

"28%"

Comparison: "normally about 6%". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:21:11

Cost of living

"95"

Comparison: "100 being par". Direction: below.

As told in 2017 about 0:21:29

Housing cost index

"69"

Comparison: "100 being par". Direction: below.

As told in 2017 about 0:21:29

Median home cost

"$129,000"

Comparison: "about $186,000 nationally". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:21:45

Two-bedroom apartment rent

"about $960"

Comparison: "national average about $1,030". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:22:10

Listing: Rose Lane

"$196,831"

Comparison: "bank owned, on the site 663 days". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:22:39

Listing: three bed, two bath, 1,600 sq ft on High Street

"$199,000"

Comparison: "sale pending". No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:22:55

Listing: East Commerce Street, three bed, three bath

"$239,900"

No direction stated.

As told in 2017 about 0:23:07

Property crime

"about 25% above average"

Comparison: "though almost no crime was reported in 2015". Direction: above.

As told in 2017 about 0:25:40

Violent crime

"25% above average"

Direction: above.

As told in 2017 about 0:25:40

The reviews

No rated reviews

No reviews recorded.

In Delaware

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The story

Small Town Murder visits Kenton, Delaware, a tiny crossroads town in Kent County where Route 42 meets Route 300, about 20 minutes from Dover and 15 minutes from Marydel, Maryland. It was laid out in 1796 by Philip Lewis, who had been buying land since about 1790, and was called Grogtown and then Lewis Crossroads before taking the name Kenton in 1806. Its population is 265, with 72 households and a median age of 24.5. The mayor, Howard Colman, publishes an email address at Comcast. A ticket given to Richard T. Kepfer in July 2017 led to a finding that more than $131,000 in fines were collected in 2016, after Rose Foods was shut by the FDA in 2014.

The case begins on December 1, 1986. The three younger men stole a 1965 Mustang and went north. Nave's sister, Kathy Spence, later said she brought the three men clothes at the Fieldsborough service station, where attendant Wilbert Dill saw only three men, and drove them around until 7 p.m. The Starfire was found on County Road 139 outside Kenton. That morning the home of Frank and Dorothy Sini on County Road 168 was burgled; a size 48 black motorcycle jacket, several pocket watches and loose change were taken. Half a mile away lived Richard and Madeline Kisner and their 16-year-old son, Brian. Richard left for work at 7.30 a.m. and Brian had already left for school. Madeline, 44, did not arrive at her job, and her co-worker Alice Holman phoned repeatedly. When Brian came home at about 3.30 p.m. he assumed his mother, who was in her bedroom wearing a red house coat, was asleep. After Holman's call at 3.40 p.m. he went to the bedroom door, saw blood around his mother's head, took a knife, called the police and locked himself in the family's pickup truck.

Police found Madeline on the bed with a nylon stocking around her neck, her hands tied behind her back with shoelaces and a sock tied over her mouth. She had been stabbed 14 times. Richard Kisner told officers that her Chrysler LeBaron, its keys and some cash were missing, and that she kept several two dollar bills in her wallet. The autopsy by Dr Judith Tobin found 12 stab wounds to the chest, one to the head, one to the neck and signs of attempted strangulation. A haemorrhage in the heart caused her death.

That evening, at the Zoo Bar in Milford, a man introduced himself to Patty Dennis as Abaddon, which he said meant one of Satan's disciples. He wore an oversized leather jacket and was asked to leave. He wore the Sinis' jacket and carried four of their pocket watches, change, a two dollar bill and a cotton sock matching the one used to gag Madeline. A large tattoo of his nickname was on his stomach.

McCoy, Erwin and Nave were captured on December 22, 1986, in a creek bed in northwestern Arizona. Nave's sister, Dill and the physical evidence contradicted this. The defence's motions for a change of venue were denied, as were its attempts to keep out evidence of his Aryan Brotherhood membership and swastika tattoos. An FBI agent matched the sock and red fibres from her robe, and serologists found blood consistent with hers on his clothes.

The aggravating factors were that he was an escaped prisoner, that the killing took place during a burglary or robbery, and that it was for gain. In March 1990 the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed. He was resentenced to death on April 2, 1993.

The public and the victim's family were not allowed to attend. Madeline Kisner is buried at the Oddfellows Cemetery in Camden, Delaware.

The case

Murder of Madeline Kisner

Victims

Madeline Kisner (44). Kenton housewife with a job, wife of Richard Kisner and mother of 16-year-old Brian; strangled with a nylon stocking, gagged, bound with shoelaces and stabbed 14 times at home while getting ready for work

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 15 November 2017.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Richard Kisner. Madeline's husband, 44, who left for work at 7.30 a.m. and came home at 5.30 p.m.
Brian Kisner. their 16-year-old son, who came home from school and called the police after seeing blood
Alice Holman. Madeline's co-worker who phoned repeatedly when she did not arrive
Kathy Spence. Nave's sister, who brought the three clothes and drove them around until 7 p.m.
Wilbert Dill. Fieldsborough service station attendant who saw only three men
Frank and Dorothy Sini. couple whose home on County Road 168 was burgled that morning
Patty Elizabeth Dennis. woman at the Zoo Bar in Milford who met , who gave his name as Abaddon
Geraldine Ryan. Dennis's roommate who was with her at the bar
Sergeant Keith Hudson. Milford police officer who saw leave the Zoo Bar
Trooper Douglas Hudson. Delaware State Police trooper who answered the crash call and searched house to house
Dr Judith Tobin. State Medical Examiner's Office, performed the autopsy
Andrew Patalak. retired FBI special agent who gave fibre evidence

The timeline

  1. 1983 Let out on a one-day furlough, stays away four months before being recapturedabout 0:35:15
  2. December 1, 1986, between midnight and 2.30 a.m. , McCoy, Erwin and Nave escape from the Delaware Correctional Center (Delaware Correctional Center)about 0:27:16
  3. December 1, 1986, about 6.15 a.m. McCoy, Erwin and Nave steal a 1965 Mustang from the north of Smyrna; it is later found on Route 13 (Route 13 shoulder)about 0:37:28
  4. December 1, 1986, 5.45 a.m. onward Wilbert Dill sees three men in blue clothing by the service station bathrooms; they call Nave's sister Kathy Spence, who brings clothes (Fieldsborough service station)about 0:40:48
  5. December 1, 1986, before 7.15 a.m. steals a 1979 Oldsmobile Starfire on the south side of Smyrna; it is later found on County Road 139 outside Kenton (County Road 139)about 0:44:05
  6. December 1, 1986, morning The Sinis' home is burgled: a size 48 black motorcycle jacket, pocket watches and loose change are taken (Sini house)about 0:46:07
  7. December 1, 1986, 7.30 a.m. Richard Kisner leaves for work, after Brian leaves for school; Madeline is still home (Kisner house)about 0:47:31
  8. December 1, 1986, morning Madeline Kisner is bound, gagged, strangled with a stocking and stabbed to death; her car and cash are taken (Kisner house)about 0:52:16

Places and phrases

N ↑Town centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode