For half a century, Diedra Glabus lived quietly in Taber, Alberta, three hours southeast of Calgary, unknowingly sheltering one of America's most elusive fugitives. This week, the saga reached its startling conclusion: Glabus was revealed to be Sharon Kinne, the subject of murder investigations dating back to the 1960s.
The case began grimly on March 1960, when Kinne's first husband, James Kinne, was shot dead. Authorities originally ruled it accidental, attributing it to the couple's two-year-old daughter playing with a gun. Yet, as details emerged, suspicions grew. Sharon, who had married at just 16, was entangled in tumultuous relationships and financial deceit.
Fast forward to May 1960, when Patricia Jones, the wife of Walter Jones, was found murdered—a victim of the same .22-caliber gun linked to James’ death. Witness accounts revealed Kinne had lured Patricia under false pretenses, seeking closure for her own romantic entanglement. The search for Patricia turned sinister when it was revealed Kinne had been present during the discovery of Jones’ corpse.
A jury trial found Kinne acquitted of Patricia’s murder, but she was later tried and convicted for James' death. This sentence was later overturned, prompting Kinne to flee to Mexico. It was here where her criminal life's darker chapters unfolded, including the murder of Francisco Ordonez, leading to her capture and ultimate sentencing to 13 years imprisonment.
Yet, Kinne evaded justice once again. After her escape from prison in 1969, details about her whereabouts remained scarce for years. It wasn’t until nearly fifty years later, when investigators received anonymous tips linking Diedra Glabus to Sharon Kinne, prompting the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas City Police Department to act.
Such revelations opened old wounds. On January 21, 2022, Kinne passed away of natural causes, and the news of her true identity shook the small Alberta town. "It’s unfortunate we couldn’t catch her when she was alive," remarked Sgt. Dustin Love of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. "She was really good at what she did. She hid really well, and it just happened someone had the tip and wasn't willing to release it until after her death.”
The investigative breakthrough came through forensic genealogy, with fingerprints discovered at the funeral home confirming Kinne's identity, echoing across time and resounding closure for the families attached to her legacy of violence.
Kinne’s family expressed complex feelings as this chapter closed. "She caused great harm without thought or remorse... hopefully, this closure will allow the family a chance to heal from her traumatic legacy," they said, highlighting both anguish and relief. Her multitudes of names and identities reflected not just deceit but the intricacies of survival from her own past.
Now, decades after her murderous rampage, the narrative of Sharon Kinne, often termed 'La Pistolera' by the press, reads like the wildest fiction. It's filled with drama, deception, and lost lives—a tale reminding us of the lengths some will go to escape their pasts. The case will continue to echo within the realms of true crime literature and the memories of those whose lives were forever changed by her actions.
The Law enforcement officials voiced their satisfaction with the closure, affirming the investigation’s significance. “Someone will publish something,” noted Alberta RCMP spokesman Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, hinting at Kinne's unusual story becoming part of crime folklore.