Sharon Kinne, the infamous American woman whose 50-year escape from justice captivated many, passed away recently under the alias Diedra Glabus. Kinne, charged with three murders, including the killing of her first husband, vanished from Mexican authorities after escaping prison in 1969. Her life was marked by dubious circumstances, leading to significant losses and tragedies for multiple families.
The saga began on March 19, 1960, when James Kinne, Sharon's husband, was found shot dead inside their home located on East 26th Terrace in Independence, Missouri. At the time, Sharon contended it was merely an accident, claiming their two-year-old child had inadvertently pulled the trigger. Following the incident, she collected nearly $29,000 from his life insurance policy, leading authorities to suspect foul play as they investigated the case more deeply.
Kinne swiftly moved on romantically to Walter Jones, who was already married to Patricia Jones. Later on, Patricia was reported missing, and detectives discovered Kinne’s involvement with Jones' case compounded with accusations surrounding her husband’s death. After Kinne pointed detectives to Patricia's body, who had been shot four times, she faced serious charges, culminating with her arrest by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Interestingly, after Kinne was found not guilty by the jury of Patricia’s murder, she was convicted for James Kinne’s death and sentenced to life imprisonment. Yet, the Missouri Supreme Court reversed this conviction, leading to Kinne's release on bail—an outcome which, as noted by Sgt. Dustin Love of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, would be nearly impossible today.
By September 1964, the patterns of evasion continued as Kinne disappeared to Mexico, adopting the alias Jeanette Pugliese. There, she encountered Francisco Ordonez and, as fate would have it, he was shot and killed under circumstances reminiscent of her previous crimes. Authorities eventually connected the murder weapon to her acts of violence against both her husband and Patricia Jones, though she couldn’t be retried for the earlier crimes due to her previous acquittal.
Kinne was found guilty of Ordonez’s murder and sentenced to 13 years; yet, her escape from prison came just months later, marking the onset of her long evasion from justice. Reports indicated Kinne was under the radar until the early months of 2022 when confirmation of her death emerged. After living under various identities, including Diedra Glabus, Kinne died from natural causes, leaving behind questions and unresolved matters.
The mystery surrounding her disappearance resurfaced recently when, after receiving an anonymous tip on December 2023, the Jackson County authorities started investigating her whereabouts. This led to the shocking discovery of her life post-escape—married to James Glabus, Sr., and residing in Canada when she passed away.
According to Captain Ronda Montgomery, "Not only did she start a family under the name Sharon Kinne, she also started a family under several other names. Not only are the victim’s families affected by this but so are her families." This sentiment reflects the far-reaching impacts of Kinne's actions as her family and victims' families grapple with the consequences of her deadly past.
With the case now officially closed, authorities still encourage anyone with information to reach out to the TIPS Hotline. Christina Ludwig from the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers remarked, "It doesn’t matter how insignificant you think your information is; it could be just the detail these detectives need to solve these cases." The encompassing nature of Kinne's story is one of intrigue, pain, and the tenacious hunt for justice long after the events took place.
Although Sharon Kinne eluded law enforcement for decades, her passing brings closure to many affected by her violent history. The chilling tale stands as a reminder of the systematic failures of the past and opens dialogues about justice and the modern approaches law enforcement maintain today to prevent such cases from slipping through the cracks.