May 25, 2025 • 37 mins
"We have no idea how many other victims are out there, past and present."
In April 2013, relatives of 53-year-old Laura Howard began to grow concerned. She wasn't responding to any phone calls, and the tone of her text messages changed. It felt as if someone else was texting with her phone. She'd even failed to pick up her son from the airport and wasn't responding to any of her neighbors' knocks at the door. Her curtains were drawn and her vehicle was missing.
Police, having briefly dropped by Laura's home in April, returned again in early May. Entering inside, they were shocked at what they found: Laura's decomposing body covered with towels in her bathtub, the air conditioner set to its lowest setting. The house had been carefully staged to avoid detection for as long as possible. Missing from the scene, though, was Laura's new housemate, an enigmatic man calling himself "Simon Storm"...
Research and writing by Ira Rai
Hosting, production, and additional writing by Micheal Whelan
Learn more about this podcast at http://unresolved.meIf you would like to support this podcast, consider heading to https://www.patreon.com/unresolvedpod to become a Patron or Producer
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unresolved--3266604/support.
In April 2013, relatives of 53-year-old Laura Howard began to grow concerned. She wasn't responding to any phone calls, and the tone of her text messages changed. It felt as if someone else was texting with her phone. She'd even failed to pick up her son from the airport and wasn't responding to any of her neighbors' knocks at the door. Her curtains were drawn and her vehicle was missing.
Police, having briefly dropped by Laura's home in April, returned again in early May. Entering inside, they were shocked at what they found: Laura's decomposing body covered with towels in her bathtub, the air conditioner set to its lowest setting. The house had been carefully staged to avoid detection for as long as possible. Missing from the scene, though, was Laura's new housemate, an enigmatic man calling himself "Simon Storm"...
Research and writing by Ira Rai
Hosting, production, and additional writing by Micheal Whelan
Learn more about this podcast at http://unresolved.meIf you would like to support this podcast, consider heading to https://www.patreon.com/unresolvedpod to become a Patron or Producer
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unresolved--3266604/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This episode contains graphic content that may not be suitable
for all ages. Listener discretion is advised. If you or
someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available,
call or text nine eight eight, or chat with someone
at nine eight eight lifeline dot Org. Those outside of
the US, reach out to someone at your local crisis
(00:24):
center or hotline. Please do not suffer in silence. It
is a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida, in
early May twenty thirteen. Two police officers stand on the
(00:45):
stoop of a modest home, responding to a desperate welfare
check call from a family halfway across the country. After
days of unanswered phone calls and a gut feeling that
something is horribly wrong, authorities have finally forced their way inside.
As the front door swings open, a blast of frigid
air pours out. The air conditioning has been set unnaturally low.
(01:06):
The officer's eyes adjust to the dim light. All the
curtains have been drawn shut. A fine layer of condensation
clings to the inside of the windows, dripping slowly, a
tell tale sign that the cool air inside has been
battling the Florida heat outside. The house is eerily silent, carefully,
the officers move from room to room through the tidy residence.
(01:28):
Nothing seems obviously out of place at first glance. There
are no signs of forced entry, no immediate evidence of
a struggle, but a heavy sense of dread hangs in
the air. In the hallway, one officer crinkles his nose.
Despite the cold temperature, there's a faint, unmistakable odor of
decay beginning to permeate. They followed the source of the
smell to a bathroom at the end of the hall.
(01:50):
Pushing open the bathroom door, the officers freeze at the
site before them. In the bathtub lies the lifeless body
of a woman, submerged in murky water and flame by
soaked towels. The woman's skin has turned pallid into starting
to show signs of severe decomposition, indicating that she has
been dead for several days. The scene is as perplexing
(02:11):
as it is horrifying. The towels covering her and the
frosty air seemed deliberately arranged to conceal her death, an
apparent effort to mask any odor and delayed discovery. In
that chilling moment, the quiet suburban home officially becomes a
crime scene. It's the day a devoted mother and friend
is found dead under suspicious circumstances. This is the story
(02:35):
of Laura Howard. Laura Howard was a fifty three year
old mother of three adult children who had moved to
Fort Myers, Florida, to embrace a fresh start in her fifties.
A retired Sunday school teacher, Laura had dedicated much of
(02:58):
her life to her family and community. By twenty thirteen,
she found herself enjoying a well earned retirement in Florida's sunshine.
She had relocated from out of state about three years prior,
drawn by the warm climate and a chance to start
a new chapter in life. In her new neighborhood in
Fort Myers, Laura made friends easily. Neighbors would often see
(03:18):
her at the local community pool, where she loved to relax.
A neighbor later recalled that this cheerful, caring woman truly
enjoyed the palm trees and sunshine. Despite the distance from
her old hometown, Laura kept close ties with her family,
speaking with her children often and visiting when she could.
By spring twenty thirteen, Laura was looking forward to a
(03:39):
visit from her son, Gregg, who had planned a trip
south to see her. She excitedly made plans for his stay.
They talked about spending time outdoors and even renting a
boat together. Family was everything to Laura, and Greg's upcoming
visit had her in high spirits. However, in the weeks
leading up to that trip, subtle signs of trouble began
to surf us. Laura's communications with her children became uncharacteristically erratic.
(04:05):
At one point, Greg received a perplexing text from his
mother's phone telling him don't come down, I won't be here,
a message that was completely at odds with her earlier excitement.
Greg was baffled the wording and tone of the message
did not sound like his mom at all. Friends and
family now believed that this message had not come from
Laura at all, but from someone else using her phone
(04:27):
as a ploy. It was a red flag that something
was wrong, though at the time they could not imagine
just how wrong. In the background of Laura Howard's life
at the time was a relatively new acquaintance, a man
who introduced himself as Simon's Storm. Laura had met Storm
in Fort Myers and being kind hearted, she agreed to
let him rent the spare room in her home. She
(04:49):
told a friend that Simon would help her with some
home repairs in exchange for lodging. By all accounts, Laura
saw this as a mutually beneficial arrangement. She got some
assistance around the house, and Simon's storm got an affordable
place to stay. Some sources have described Simon as Laura's
date or her boyfriend, while others frame him as a
tenant slash handyman. Regardless of the exact dynamic, Simon was
(05:13):
living under Laura's roof in April twenty thirteen, Laura's family
knew very little about this man. In fact, Greg later
admitted that his mother had not shared much about Simon
at all, and Greg had a strong feeling that she
did not want Simon around during his upcoming visit. It
seemed Laura intended to have a private, family focused week
with her son, free of any distractions or HouseGuest. She
(05:37):
even mentioned to Greg that Simon would not be staying
at the house while he visited, which in hindsight, suggests
that she may have been trying to distance herself from
Simon at around that time, Laura Howard's life was, by
all accounts, full of love and optimism. In early twenty thirteen.
She had loving children, new friends, and a tranquil retirement
ahead of her. Tragically, all of that was about to
(05:59):
be shaded uttered in the most horrifying way. The events
that unfolded in late April twenty thirteen would leave her
family devastated and authorities launching an intense search for the
truth about what happened inside that little Fort Meyer's home.
By the third week of April, Laura Howard's family knew
(06:19):
that something was amiss. Her son Greg arrived in Florida,
expecting to be greeted by his mother, but Laura never
showed up at the airport to pick him up. Confused
and concerned, Greg tried calling his mother's phone repeatedly. Her
three children collectively called dozens of times, but each call
went unanswered. There was a mix of worry and rationalization.
(06:42):
Perhaps they thought Laura had a last minute change of
plans or an issue with her phone, But as hours
turned to days with no word from her, the family's
concern turned to panic. Laura's friends in Fort Myers were
also alarmed. One close friend and neighbor Sally knew Laura
was eagerly anticipating Gregg's visit. When Greg knocked on Sally's
(07:02):
door to ask if she had seen his mom, Sally's
face went pale. She had not seen Laura either, and
something did not feel right. By that weekend, Laura's daughter, Cassandra,
and some other loved ones were frantic. Cassandra recalls calling
her mother's phone and leaving a final urgent message. When
no call came, the family contacted the Fort Meyers Police
(07:22):
and reported Laura missing. Police officers initially visited Laura's home
on April twenty sixth, twenty thirteen, to perform a welfare check.
From the outside, everything appeared normal. The house was secure,
there were no broken windows or obvious signs of foul play.
Peering through the windows, officers could not see anything alarming.
(07:43):
The curtains were drawn tightly, and nothing screamed distress. With
no immediate cause to force entry and no response to
their knocks at the door, the officers left, noting that
nothing seemed off at first glance. However, Laura's family and
friends knew that her continued silence was deeply abnormal. They persisted,
urging law enforcement to check again. Her daughter, Cassandra, increasingly desperate,
(08:06):
even told police that she would fly down herself and
break into the home if they did not act her gut,
telling her that something was very wrong. Finally, one week later,
on May third, twenty thirteen, authorities returned to Laura's residence
with a determination to get inside. By now, Laura had
been missing all week, and worry had started to reach
(08:26):
a fever pitch this time. Upon entering her home, police
immediately sensed trouble. The house was unnaturally cold due to
the air conditioner being said at the lowest possible temperature.
Condensation was visible on the windows from the cold air
meeting the humid Florida warmth. These details, though subtle at first,
were unusual enough to put the officers on high alert
(08:47):
as they moved through the home. What they found in
the bathroom confirmed their worst fears. Laura Howard's decomposing body
was discovered in the bath tub, water filling the tub
up and covering her remains with layers of wet teas
investigators at the scene were confronted with a grisly and
perplexing situation. Laura had likely been dead for several days,
(09:08):
as indicated by the advanced state of decomposition and the
fact that she had did later be identified through dental records.
The water in the tub and the cold indoor temperature
had slowed the decomposition process somewhat, but not enough to
preserve much evidence on her body. The medical examiner would
later note that her cause of death was not immediately
apparent due to the condition of her remains. In fact,
(09:31):
investigators could not tell if she had been strangled, suffocated,
or harmed in some other way. There were no obvious
injuries and no sign of a struggle in the bathroom.
The scene appeared oddly methodical. Whoever was responsible had gone
to great lengths to mask any odour or sign of decay,
presumably to avoid alerting the neighbors. The air conditioning had
(09:51):
been cranked down as low as possible, and investigators later
observed that even moisture absorbent towels had been placed around
windows and under doors, like an attempt to absorb leakage
and block the smell of death from escaping the house.
These deliberate actions told police right away that this was
no accident, and also it wasn't a suicide. Someone had
(10:11):
engineered the scene to buy time. With Laura's body found,
the missing person's case became a homicide investigation. Detectives began
processing the crime scene for clues. Notably, certain personal items
were missing from the home, chief among them Laura's vehicle
from the driveway. Additionally, friends pointed out that her television
(10:32):
was missing from the living room, which struck them as odd.
These missing items suggested a possible theft or a burglary
aspect to the case. However, the doors were found locked
and there were no signs of forced entry, raising the
likelihood that Laura had willingly let someone into her home
or that the perpetrator already had keys. As investigators secured
(10:53):
the scene, news of Laura's tragic death reached her family.
The shock was devastating. A week of uncertainty gave way
to heartbreak and then to a single burning question. Who
could have done this to a kind, gentle retiree in
her own home. Early suspicions quickly focused in on the
one person in Laura's life who was notably missing in
the aftermath Simon's storm, the man who had been living
(11:17):
with her. When police tried to locate this housemate, he
was nowhere to be found, it did not escape. Investigators
notice that Simon's absence coincided with Laura's death, and that
he had apparently left Hound with her vehicle. Almost immediately,
Simon Storm became the prime person of interest in Laura
Howard's death. Now we're going to pause for just a
(11:40):
moment to hear a word from the sponsors that support
this show. From the moment that Laura Howard's body was discovered,
Fort Meyer's police treated the case as a suspicious death,
likely involving foul play. The condition of the crime scene
itself provided early clues. The intentional cooling of the house
and covering of the life body suggested that the perpetrator
(12:02):
had knowledge of how to delay detection. Detectives theorized that
whoever did this needed time to escape or potentially establish
an alibi, and indeed, as they dug into the timeline,
it became clear that Laura had likely been killed around
mid April twenty thirteen, with her having last been seen
alive on April fifteenth, the killer had likely gained at
(12:22):
least a week's head start before her body was found.
Investigators began piecing together Laura's final days through interviews and evidence.
They learned that on April fifteenth, twenty thirteen, Laura had
spent time at the community pool. That was the last
confirmed sighting of her alive. According to a neighbor who
spoke to police, after that date, Laura seemingly vanished from
(12:44):
her normal routine. Family and friends recounted how communication from
Laura suddenly stopped at around that time. The strange text
message Greg received telling him not to visit, which the
family now firmly believed was sent by someone else posing
as Laura, came shortly after April five, fifteenth. This text,
combined with Laura's failure to pick up Greg at the
airport on April twentieth, and the subsequent phone silence, helped
(13:07):
investigators narrow the likely time of her death to the
week of April fifteenth through the twentieth. Crucially, neighbors and
friends provided disturbing anecdotes about Laura's housemate, the man known
as Simons Storm From that same week, One neighbor told
police that Simon had approached them with an unusual offer.
He was trying to sell Laura's television set, claiming that
(13:28):
Laura had given him permission to do so. The neighbor
found it odd. Why would Laura suddenly have her tenant
sell off her belongings and why wasn't she handling it herself.
Even more alarming, when the neighbor expressed a desire to
check in on Laura since they had not seen her,
Simon insisted that she was not feeling well and asked
them not to disturb her. It appeared that Simon was
(13:50):
actively trying to keep people away from Laura's home during
the very period she was missing, and, as it turns out,
was likely already dead inside. Another piece of evidence was
the content of text messages sent from Laura's phone during
that week. Besides the don't come here, I won't be
around text sent to her son Greg, there were a
few other short messages Laura had supposedly sent to friends
(14:13):
that did not sound like her usual texting style. It
seemed likely that Simon or whoever was responsible, had been
using Laura's phone to send fake updates, attempting to create
the illusion that she was still alive and traveling or busy.
Investigators strongly suspected that these messages were part of a
cover up meant to delay any alarm about Laura's disappearance.
(14:34):
This aligns with what one detective later pointed out, indicating
a deliberate effort to mislead everyone about when Laura really died,
stating most likely the killer had stolen Howard's phone and
tried to cover up her time of death. With mounting
evidence pointing to Simon Storm's involvement, the investigation's next step
was to find this mysterious individual, But when police tried
(14:56):
to track him down, Simon's Storm had already vanished. He
ran his name through databases and quickly hit a snack.
Turns out, Simon's Storm wasn't his real name. There were
no reliable records of a man by that name matching
his description. This was a significant turning point. It meant
that not only was Storm likely Laura's killer, but he
(15:17):
was also a con man who had been living under
an alias. Detectives interviewed Laura's friends further and uncovered that
Simon's behavior had been peculiar from the start. He had
spun a sob story to Laura when they first met.
Simon claimed he was an immigrant from Canada in the
US illegally, and that he was on a quest to
track down his ex wife who had run off with
(15:37):
their children. This tale apparently played on Laura's empathy and
might explain why she allowed him into her home. However,
now the police had reason to believe that the story
was entirely fabricated. Investigators did not have the Simon's Storm
name in any criminal databases, so they turned to some
other clues. In Laura's house, they found a few items
(15:58):
that might have belonged to the suspect, possibly fingerprints, a
forgotten piece of mail, or some personal paperwork left behind
in his haste to escape. It has never been publicly
detailed exactly what clues inside the house helped, but authorities
eventually uncovered Simon Storm's true identity, Robert Keen. Keen was
a forty four year old Illinois native decidedly not Canadian,
(16:21):
with a checkered past. This revelation was chilling. The kind
trusting Laura Howard had unknowingly led a dangerous individual into
her life. Armed with Keen's real name, detectives dug into
his background and found some disturbing information. Decades earlier, as
a teenager, Robert Keen had been charged in Illinois with
attempted murder in that nineteen eighty six case, a then
(16:44):
seventeen year old Keen had brutally attacked someone. He eventually
pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery. This
indicated a history of violence. Furthermore, over the years, Keen
had a master reputation as a chameleon con artist, frequently
changing his name and his stories. He had numerous aliases.
(17:04):
Police would later compile a list of at least five
fake names that he used, and he had an act
for telling elaborate lies about himself. For instance, besides the
faux Canadian persona he had used on Laura, he had
at times claimed to be a professor with multiple degrees
or a former military man, whatever suited his manipulation. At
the time, the emerging picture of Robert Keane was that
(17:26):
of a serial grifter who targeted people, especially women, to
exploit their resources or hospitality. With this information, investigators now
viewed Laura's case in a new light. Keen likely prayed
on Laura's generosity and then silenced her when she became
an inconvenience or when he had gotten what he wanted.
A possible motive began to coalesce. Perhaps Laura discovered something
(17:49):
about his lies or intended to end their arrangement, especially
since she seemingly wanted him gone before her son came
to visit. This might have led to a confrontation. It's
also possible that Keene's motive was primarily theft and self preservation.
By eliminating Laura, he could steal her car, in valuables
and escape without paying rent or facing questions. While exact
(18:11):
motives remained speculative, what's clear is that Robert Keen had
both the opportunity and the capacity for violence, given his
presence in the home and his past record. Within days
of the discovery of Laura's body, Fort Meyer's police announced
that Robert Keen or Simon Strong, was a person of
interest in Laura Howard's death. They were careful with their language,
(18:32):
since the medical examiner had not pinpointed a cause of death.
They stopped short of issuing a murder warrant at that time. Nonetheless,
Keen was the only individual they were actively looking for
in connection with the case. Police alerted other law enforcement
agencies and began tracking Keene's trail of escape across Florida.
Unbeknownst to them, Keen's movements after Laura's death were already
(18:54):
generating incidents in other parts of the state, clues that
would soon surface and corroborate his. As the investigation pressed on,
detectives collected every bit of evidence from Laura's home, Towell's
water samples, any DNA or fingerprints, and her abandoned car
once it was found, hoping for forensic links too Keen,
but the cunning preparation of the scene suggested that Robert
(19:17):
Keene had been meticulous. He had likely worn gloves and
left minimal trace evidence. Investigators also kept Laura's grieving family
informed as best they could. For Greg, Cassandra and the
rest of Laura's family, it was incomprehensible that the friendly
handyman their mother had described could be an alleged killer.
The family channeled their grief into supporting the investigation, speaking
(19:40):
to the media, and urging anyone with knowledge of Keene's
whereabouts to come forward. Within the first few weeks, local
Crimestoppers bulletins were issued featuring Keene's mugshot and aliases, and
the case began to gain wider attention as a particularly
heinous betrayal of trust. While the autopsy results on Laura
Howard were ultimately inconclude of regarding exact cause of death.
(20:02):
The circumstantial evidence of homicide was overwhelming. As one investigator
bluntly put it, given the details surrounding the crime, it
was likely a homicide despite the lack of a clear
forensic cause. Laura had no known medical conditions that could
explain an accidental death in a bathtub, and it was
virtually impossible that she would submert herself and cover herself
(20:23):
with towels. Everything pointed to someone else's hand. The case,
now officially a homicide investigation, was heating up, and all
roads led to Robert Keen, who was quickly proving to
be a particularly elusive fugitive. By the time authorities identified
(20:50):
Robert Keen as their suspect, a fuller picture of this
elusive man began to emerge. Keen was born around nineteen
sixty nine and crew up in Illinois. Long before crossing
paths with Laura, he had a history of criminal behavior
and deception. In fact, investigators uncovered that Keene's trouble with
the law began in his youth. At seventeen years old,
(21:11):
he was involved in a violent incident that led to
an attempted murder charge, though he avoided a long prison
term by pleading down to aggravated battery. This early episode
hinted at Keene's capacity for extreme violence, even at a
young age. It's unclear what other crimes he may have
committed in the ensuing years, but one thing became evident.
Robert Keen reinvented himself many times, leaving apache trail that
(21:34):
was hard to follow. Keene was, in essence, a con
artist and a drifter. He used numerous aliases throughout his
adult life, often to ingratiate himself with people and live
under the radar. Among the false names he was known
to use were Simon Storm, Simon Croft, Alex Defrey, Alex Devil,
and Alex Frost. In addition to some other variations, each
(21:58):
alias came with a new, fabricated backstory. For example, as
Laura's friends recounted, Simon Storm claimed to be a down
on his luck Canadian trying to reunite with his lost children.
In other instances, King boasted of having been a university
professor or a member of the Canadian Army, leaving elaborate
and false details to gain sympathy or respect. He had
(22:20):
a talent for telling people exactly what they wanted to hear.
If someone was religious, he might emphasize his supposed wholesome background.
If someone was generous, he would play up a tragic
personal story to evoke pity. In Laura Howard's case, Robert Keen,
as Simon Storm, exploited her kindness. He likely presented himself
as helpful, polite, and in need of a break, persuading
(22:42):
her to let him stay in her home. Laura's own
friends noted that before she died, she mentioned her new
tenant was going to assist with some home improvement projects,
a prospect that Laura seemed pleased about. This shows how
Keen inserted himself into her life under the guise of
being useful to her. However, neighbours quickly felt that something
wasn't right. The episode where Keen tried to sell off
(23:03):
Laura's TV and urged neighbors not to contact her was
deeply suspicious behavior. It revealed Keene's manipulative nature. He wanted
material gain and control over information, classic tactics of an
abuser or con man, tightening his grip physically. Robert Keen
did not appear especially intimidating. He was of short too
average height, around five foot six, and had a stocky
(23:26):
build about one hundred and seventy pounds in twenty thirteen,
at age forty four. He had a receding hairline, was
going bald on top, and often sported a dark mustache.
His face, as seen in mugshots later released by police,
is round with some unassuming features, the kind of person
who might blend into a crowd easily. Keen likely relied
(23:47):
on this ordinary appearance to avoid drawing suspicion, but there
were a couple of distinctive quirks about him that people
who met him would later recall. One particularly bizarre, detailed
investigators shared, is that Keen had an odd hapbit of
asking women if he could give them a bath upon
first getting to know them. This peculiar behavior, essentially a
grooming tactic both literally and figuratively, was something Laura's family
(24:11):
learned about only after her death. It's unsettling in hindsight,
considering Laura was found in a bath. Though we cannot
know if this habit played into the crime, it demonstrates
Keene's fixation on putting women into vulnerable positions. Another noteworthy
aspect of Keene's background is how well prepared and transient
he was by the time he met Laura. It seems
(24:32):
Keen was already living off the grid to an extent.
He avoided using his real identity, meaning no legitimate jobs, leases,
or paper trails were in his own name. That made
tracking him exceedingly difficult once he fled Trish Rout, a
crime stopper's coordinator remarked on the challenge when we're dealing
with someone who is living off the grid, it's really
(24:52):
difficult to find them, especially when he's using an alias
that other people aren't questioning. Keen knew how to disappear,
He had no known digital presence, and he used prepaid
cell phones or ALIAS accounts wherever possible. Authorities also learned
that Keen might have targeted other women in the past
in similar fashion. While Laura Howard's case is the one
(25:14):
that brought him to national attention, investigators suspect that there
could be additional victims or scams tied to Robert Keen
that simply haven't been uncovered yet. As one detective caution,
we have no idea how many other victims are out there.
Past and present. This statement underscores the kind of person
that police believe. Keen is a predator who could move
(25:36):
from victim to victim, city to city, assuming new identities
each time his welcome ran out where things got too
dangerous for him. By all accounts, Robert Keen became the
primary suspect in Laura's death as soon as her body
was found and he was discovered missing. His means, motive,
and opportunity were all evident. He had been alone with
(25:57):
Laura in the critical window of time. Motive in that
Laura might have been ending their arrangement where he wanted
to steal from her, and he certainly had the means
as shown by his past. He was capable of violence
and cunning enough to stage the scene. Additionally, tangible evidence
linked Keen to the crime. On the same day that
Laura's body was found, police located her missing vehicle and
(26:20):
uncovered documents tying back to Robert Keen. As we'll touch
on in just a moment, all of this elevated Keen
from a mere person of interest to the fugitive suspect
at the center of the investigation. More after the break,
(26:41):
as detectives worked the case in Fort Myers. Robert Keen
was already on the run. Tracing his whereabouts after Laura's
murder became a top priority. The first big break came
within twenty four hours of discovering Laura's body, her silver
Toyota was found abandoned in another part of Florida. Specifically,
it turned up on Florida's East Coast, roughly one hundred
(27:01):
and twenty miles away in the city of Margate. It
wasn't a coincidence. Margate police had just days earlier responded
to a disturbance at a private home that would turn
out to be directly connected to Robert Keane. In Margate,
an older woman had allowed a man renting a room
in her home to stay for a short period, a
man who went by yet another alias. Reports very which one,
(27:23):
but it was likely one of Keene's known fake names.
The scenario sounded alarmingly familiar. According to a Margate police
incident report. The woman had grown suspicious of her new
Border Simon, particularly after hearing about a wanted suspect on
the news. When her brother confronted the man and asked
to see his identification, the Border agreed and said he
(27:44):
would go retrieve it from upstairs. What happened next could
have been ripped from a movie. Instead of coming back
down with an id, the man leapt out of a
second story window and fled, literally jumping from the house
to escape. He ran off so quickly that he left
almost all of his personal belongings behind. By the time
margate authorities put two and two together, the fleeing border
(28:05):
was identified as Robert Keen, and the possessions he abandoned
were a treasure trove of evidence. Inside the room he
had occupied were duffel bags containing documents linked to Laura Howard.
In fact, among the item's Keen left were Laura's own passport,
her driver's license, and even an old marriage certificate of hers.
Finding Laura's personal papers in Keene's bag powerfully connected him
(28:27):
to her death. It suggested that after killing Laura, or
discovering her deceased in the unlikely scenario, someone else was involved.
Keen raided her home for important papers and identification, perhaps
with an eye towards stealing her identity or keeping mementoes.
He also left behind some of his fake ideas and
documents under his aliases, helping police catalog his various personas
(28:50):
The marked incident occurred sometime in late April or early
May twenty thirteen, and Keen was last physically seen during
that dramatic escape from the second floor window. One report
from detectives indicates that as late as June twenty thirteen
a sighting of Keen corresponds to that margate flight. Some
sources sight June, others may, but either way that was
(29:11):
the final confirmed sighting. After that, Robert Keanes seems to
have vanished into thin air. In the immediate aftermath, law
enforcement launched a man hunt for Robert Keene. Given the
interstate nature of the crime, he wasn't a Florida native,
federal authorities like the US Marshal Service were alerted. Wanted
posters were disseminated describing Keen's appearance and aliases. Police believed
(29:36):
that Keen might try to blend into another community by
targeting a new victim or family. As a result, they
warned the public, especially in Florida, about his tactics. One
unsettling pattern investigators highlighted was that Keen often ingratiated himself
with single women or women around his age who might
have a spare room, just as he had done with
(29:56):
Laura and the Woman in Margate, Florida, public was cautioned
if a man with a hard luck story and one
of several alias names tried to rent a room or
offer handyman services, be extremely wary and check his background.
Leeds have since poured in sporadically over the years. Since
twenty thirteen, there have been periodic tips and alleged sightings
(30:18):
of Robert Keen, but none have panned out conclusively. Sometimes
someone would call saying that they met a man who
gave a fake sounding history or used one of Keen's
alias surnames. Task Force officers would investigate, only to find
it was a dead end or another person entirely. Keen
seemingly became an expert at disappearing, potentially taking on totally
(30:40):
new aliases not yet known to authorities. It's believed that
he stayed largely in Florida for some time, given his
familiarity with the area and possibly some contacts or other
victims there. In fact, early on, police speculated that Keen
could still be hiding somewhere in Florida, living off the
grid under a false identity. With Florida's many transient populations
(31:02):
and seasonal residents. It isn't hard to disappear into certain
communities if one is careful. One challenge has been that
Robert Keen has not been formally charged with murder, meaning
that there wasn't initially a nationwide murder warrant, only warrants
related to questioning, car theft and fraud. However, authorities did
try to make it clear that he was the sole
(31:22):
suspect in Laura's death. Over time, as evidence accumulated, it's
possible that stronger warrants were obtained, but publicly the case
is still often phrased as Keane being wanted for questioning
in the homicide. This phrasing aside. Law enforcement's intent is clear.
They want Robert Keen in custody and fully expect to
charge him once caught. Years have passed now without Robert
(31:46):
Keen being found. By twenty twenty one, the case had
gone somewhat cold, leading Laura's family and detectives to try
a new avenue. National media in August of that year,
an episode of Investigation to Sycoveries in Pursuit with John
Walsh featured Laura Howard's unsolved murder and spotlighted Robert Keen
as a fugitive. The show's exposure brought a renewed flurry
(32:09):
of tips. John Walsh's team highlighted Keene's known aliases and
even mentioned his unusual bath habit, hoping that someone somewhere
might have encountered him. The episode reiterated that Keene, then
age fifty two, was still at large eight years after
the crime, and encouraged viewers to call with any information. Unfortunately,
even with a national audience, Keene remained elusive. As of
(32:33):
the latest updates. Now over a decade since Laura's death,
Robert Keen has not been captured. The manhunt quietly endures
in the background of law enforcement operations. Detectives periodically check
old aliases against new records, for instance, monitoring if any
Simon Storm or Alex Frost pops up in public databases
(32:53):
like driver's licenses or arrest logs. They've scoured leads in
multiple states. There is a per persistent belief among some
investigators that Keene may have changed his name yet again
and assimilated into another community, possibly even outside of Florida.
Others think he could be living off of cash jobs
and avoiding any official paperwork that would trip up databases.
(33:15):
Robert Keane's ability to remain undetected for so long suggest
a combination of careful planning, luck, and perhaps help from
unknown associates, or simply the anonymity afforded by drifting through
society's margins. Law enforcement has publicly stated that they will
not stop looking for Keen. Investigators in Fort Myers have
kept his file open and regularly circulate his information to
(33:37):
other agencies. They are unequivocal that they consider him dangerous
as a crime Stopper's representative grimly noted, you don't just
leave a woman dead and then jump out of a
second story building to avoid being caught if you've done
nothing wrong. In their view, Robert Keen is likely responsible
for Laura's death and possibly other crimes we may never
(33:58):
know about. Today, Robert Keene is officially a wonted fugitive,
and his case is listed among Southwest Florida's notable unsolved crimes.
He would now be in his mid fifties, perhaps grayer
and heavier than the last known photos of him show,
But until he is found, the question of justice for
Laura Howard remains painfully unanswered. Laura Howard's life was senselessly
(34:28):
cut short, robbing her of the joyful retirement and family
moments that she had ahead of her. In the aftermath,
her children and other loved ones have been left to
grapple not only with grief, but with the agonizing lack
of closure. They have tried their best to preserve her memory,
remembering Laura as a devoted mother, a faithful friend, and
a compassionate soul who opened her home to someone she
(34:48):
thought was in need. The horror of how that kindness
was repaid is something they continue to carry. Twelve years later,
the case remains open. Laura's family has not given up
their quest for justice. Her son Greg, voicing the family's
frustration and desire for answers, said he left her in
a bathtubbed rot. Either he's really good at hiding or
(35:09):
we're not looking hard enough. Authorities, too, remain determined to
find Robert Keane. Each passing year is a reminder that
a killer, or at least a man with crucial answers,
is still out there, living free while Laura's family waits.
Investigators regularly appeal to the public for assistance, emphasizing that
(35:29):
no tip is too small to check out. Crimestoppers of
Southwest Florida continue to publicize Keene's face and information. Anyone
with information about his whereabouts or alias's is urged to
call the twenty four hour hotline at one eight hundred
seven eight zero tips. That's one eight hundred seven eight
zero eight four seven seven. Tips can be given anonymously,
(35:51):
and rewards may be available for information leading to his location.
In memory of Laura Howard, her family has also become
vocal and race awareness about the dangers of fraudsters and
the importance of background checks on individuals entering one's life.
They know that nothing will bring Laura back, but a
measure of peace could come from seeing the person responsible
held accountable until Robert Keen is found. The story of
(36:15):
Laura Howard's unsolved murder endoers is a cautionary tale, a
reminder of both the fragility of trust and the tenacity
of a family's love seeking justice. Laura's voice may have
been silenced, but those who loved her continue to speak
on her behalf, ensuring that her case is not forgotten. They,
along with law enforcement, ask that anyone who recognizes Robert
(36:36):
Keen or has heard someone tell a suspicious similar life
story to the ones described to please step forward. It
is a solemn hope that, with the public's vigilance and help,
one day Robert Keen will be captured, answering at last
for what happened in that quiet Fort Meyer's home so
many years ago. Until such a time, the story of
Laura Howard will remain unresolved.
This episode contains graphic content that may not be suitable
for all ages. Listener discretion is advised. If you or
someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available,
call or text nine eight eight, or chat with someone
at nine eight eight lifeline dot Org. Those outside of
the US, reach out to someone at your local crisis
(00:24):
center or hotline. Please do not suffer in silence. It
is a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida, in
early May twenty thirteen. Two police officers stand on the
(00:45):
stoop of a modest home, responding to a desperate welfare
check call from a family halfway across the country. After
days of unanswered phone calls and a gut feeling that
something is horribly wrong, authorities have finally forced their way inside.
As the front door swings open, a blast of frigid
air pours out. The air conditioning has been set unnaturally low.
(01:06):
The officer's eyes adjust to the dim light. All the
curtains have been drawn shut. A fine layer of condensation
clings to the inside of the windows, dripping slowly, a
tell tale sign that the cool air inside has been
battling the Florida heat outside. The house is eerily silent, carefully,
the officers move from room to room through the tidy residence.
(01:28):
Nothing seems obviously out of place at first glance. There
are no signs of forced entry, no immediate evidence of
a struggle, but a heavy sense of dread hangs in
the air. In the hallway, one officer crinkles his nose.
Despite the cold temperature, there's a faint, unmistakable odor of
decay beginning to permeate. They followed the source of the
smell to a bathroom at the end of the hall.
(01:50):
Pushing open the bathroom door, the officers freeze at the
site before them. In the bathtub lies the lifeless body
of a woman, submerged in murky water and flame by
soaked towels. The woman's skin has turned pallid into starting
to show signs of severe decomposition, indicating that she has
been dead for several days. The scene is as perplexing
(02:11):
as it is horrifying. The towels covering her and the
frosty air seemed deliberately arranged to conceal her death, an
apparent effort to mask any odor and delayed discovery. In
that chilling moment, the quiet suburban home officially becomes a
crime scene. It's the day a devoted mother and friend
is found dead under suspicious circumstances. This is the story
(02:35):
of Laura Howard. Laura Howard was a fifty three year
old mother of three adult children who had moved to
Fort Myers, Florida, to embrace a fresh start in her fifties.
A retired Sunday school teacher, Laura had dedicated much of
(02:58):
her life to her family and community. By twenty thirteen,
she found herself enjoying a well earned retirement in Florida's sunshine.
She had relocated from out of state about three years prior,
drawn by the warm climate and a chance to start
a new chapter in life. In her new neighborhood in
Fort Myers, Laura made friends easily. Neighbors would often see
(03:18):
her at the local community pool, where she loved to relax.
A neighbor later recalled that this cheerful, caring woman truly
enjoyed the palm trees and sunshine. Despite the distance from
her old hometown, Laura kept close ties with her family,
speaking with her children often and visiting when she could.
By spring twenty thirteen, Laura was looking forward to a
(03:39):
visit from her son, Gregg, who had planned a trip
south to see her. She excitedly made plans for his stay.
They talked about spending time outdoors and even renting a
boat together. Family was everything to Laura, and Greg's upcoming
visit had her in high spirits. However, in the weeks
leading up to that trip, subtle signs of trouble began
to surf us. Laura's communications with her children became uncharacteristically erratic.
(04:05):
At one point, Greg received a perplexing text from his
mother's phone telling him don't come down, I won't be here,
a message that was completely at odds with her earlier excitement.
Greg was baffled the wording and tone of the message
did not sound like his mom at all. Friends and
family now believed that this message had not come from
Laura at all, but from someone else using her phone
(04:27):
as a ploy. It was a red flag that something
was wrong, though at the time they could not imagine
just how wrong. In the background of Laura Howard's life
at the time was a relatively new acquaintance, a man
who introduced himself as Simon's Storm. Laura had met Storm
in Fort Myers and being kind hearted, she agreed to
let him rent the spare room in her home. She
(04:49):
told a friend that Simon would help her with some
home repairs in exchange for lodging. By all accounts, Laura
saw this as a mutually beneficial arrangement. She got some
assistance around the house, and Simon's storm got an affordable
place to stay. Some sources have described Simon as Laura's
date or her boyfriend, while others frame him as a
tenant slash handyman. Regardless of the exact dynamic, Simon was
(05:13):
living under Laura's roof in April twenty thirteen, Laura's family
knew very little about this man. In fact, Greg later
admitted that his mother had not shared much about Simon
at all, and Greg had a strong feeling that she
did not want Simon around during his upcoming visit. It
seemed Laura intended to have a private, family focused week
with her son, free of any distractions or HouseGuest. She
(05:37):
even mentioned to Greg that Simon would not be staying
at the house while he visited, which in hindsight, suggests
that she may have been trying to distance herself from
Simon at around that time, Laura Howard's life was, by
all accounts, full of love and optimism. In early twenty thirteen.
She had loving children, new friends, and a tranquil retirement
ahead of her. Tragically, all of that was about to
(05:59):
be shaded uttered in the most horrifying way. The events
that unfolded in late April twenty thirteen would leave her
family devastated and authorities launching an intense search for the
truth about what happened inside that little Fort Meyer's home.
By the third week of April, Laura Howard's family knew
(06:19):
that something was amiss. Her son Greg arrived in Florida,
expecting to be greeted by his mother, but Laura never
showed up at the airport to pick him up. Confused
and concerned, Greg tried calling his mother's phone repeatedly. Her
three children collectively called dozens of times, but each call
went unanswered. There was a mix of worry and rationalization.
(06:42):
Perhaps they thought Laura had a last minute change of
plans or an issue with her phone, But as hours
turned to days with no word from her, the family's
concern turned to panic. Laura's friends in Fort Myers were
also alarmed. One close friend and neighbor Sally knew Laura
was eagerly anticipating Gregg's visit. When Greg knocked on Sally's
(07:02):
door to ask if she had seen his mom, Sally's
face went pale. She had not seen Laura either, and
something did not feel right. By that weekend, Laura's daughter, Cassandra,
and some other loved ones were frantic. Cassandra recalls calling
her mother's phone and leaving a final urgent message. When
no call came, the family contacted the Fort Meyers Police
(07:22):
and reported Laura missing. Police officers initially visited Laura's home
on April twenty sixth, twenty thirteen, to perform a welfare check.
From the outside, everything appeared normal. The house was secure,
there were no broken windows or obvious signs of foul play.
Peering through the windows, officers could not see anything alarming.
(07:43):
The curtains were drawn tightly, and nothing screamed distress. With
no immediate cause to force entry and no response to
their knocks at the door, the officers left, noting that
nothing seemed off at first glance. However, Laura's family and
friends knew that her continued silence was deeply abnormal. They persisted,
urging law enforcement to check again. Her daughter, Cassandra, increasingly desperate,
(08:06):
even told police that she would fly down herself and
break into the home if they did not act her gut,
telling her that something was very wrong. Finally, one week later,
on May third, twenty thirteen, authorities returned to Laura's residence
with a determination to get inside. By now, Laura had
been missing all week, and worry had started to reach
(08:26):
a fever pitch this time. Upon entering her home, police
immediately sensed trouble. The house was unnaturally cold due to
the air conditioner being said at the lowest possible temperature.
Condensation was visible on the windows from the cold air
meeting the humid Florida warmth. These details, though subtle at first,
were unusual enough to put the officers on high alert
(08:47):
as they moved through the home. What they found in
the bathroom confirmed their worst fears. Laura Howard's decomposing body
was discovered in the bath tub, water filling the tub
up and covering her remains with layers of wet teas
investigators at the scene were confronted with a grisly and
perplexing situation. Laura had likely been dead for several days,
(09:08):
as indicated by the advanced state of decomposition and the
fact that she had did later be identified through dental records.
The water in the tub and the cold indoor temperature
had slowed the decomposition process somewhat, but not enough to
preserve much evidence on her body. The medical examiner would
later note that her cause of death was not immediately
apparent due to the condition of her remains. In fact,
(09:31):
investigators could not tell if she had been strangled, suffocated,
or harmed in some other way. There were no obvious
injuries and no sign of a struggle in the bathroom.
The scene appeared oddly methodical. Whoever was responsible had gone
to great lengths to mask any odour or sign of decay,
presumably to avoid alerting the neighbors. The air conditioning had
(09:51):
been cranked down as low as possible, and investigators later
observed that even moisture absorbent towels had been placed around
windows and under doors, like an attempt to absorb leakage
and block the smell of death from escaping the house.
These deliberate actions told police right away that this was
no accident, and also it wasn't a suicide. Someone had
(10:11):
engineered the scene to buy time. With Laura's body found,
the missing person's case became a homicide investigation. Detectives began
processing the crime scene for clues. Notably, certain personal items
were missing from the home, chief among them Laura's vehicle
from the driveway. Additionally, friends pointed out that her television
(10:32):
was missing from the living room, which struck them as odd.
These missing items suggested a possible theft or a burglary
aspect to the case. However, the doors were found locked
and there were no signs of forced entry, raising the
likelihood that Laura had willingly let someone into her home
or that the perpetrator already had keys. As investigators secured
(10:53):
the scene, news of Laura's tragic death reached her family.
The shock was devastating. A week of uncertainty gave way
to heartbreak and then to a single burning question. Who
could have done this to a kind, gentle retiree in
her own home. Early suspicions quickly focused in on the
one person in Laura's life who was notably missing in
the aftermath Simon's storm, the man who had been living
(11:17):
with her. When police tried to locate this housemate, he
was nowhere to be found, it did not escape. Investigators
notice that Simon's absence coincided with Laura's death, and that
he had apparently left Hound with her vehicle. Almost immediately,
Simon Storm became the prime person of interest in Laura
Howard's death. Now we're going to pause for just a
(11:40):
moment to hear a word from the sponsors that support
this show. From the moment that Laura Howard's body was discovered,
Fort Meyer's police treated the case as a suspicious death,
likely involving foul play. The condition of the crime scene
itself provided early clues. The intentional cooling of the house
and covering of the life body suggested that the perpetrator
(12:02):
had knowledge of how to delay detection. Detectives theorized that
whoever did this needed time to escape or potentially establish
an alibi, and indeed, as they dug into the timeline,
it became clear that Laura had likely been killed around
mid April twenty thirteen, with her having last been seen
alive on April fifteenth, the killer had likely gained at
(12:22):
least a week's head start before her body was found.
Investigators began piecing together Laura's final days through interviews and evidence.
They learned that on April fifteenth, twenty thirteen, Laura had
spent time at the community pool. That was the last
confirmed sighting of her alive. According to a neighbor who
spoke to police, after that date, Laura seemingly vanished from
(12:44):
her normal routine. Family and friends recounted how communication from
Laura suddenly stopped at around that time. The strange text
message Greg received telling him not to visit, which the
family now firmly believed was sent by someone else posing
as Laura, came shortly after April five, fifteenth. This text,
combined with Laura's failure to pick up Greg at the
airport on April twentieth, and the subsequent phone silence, helped
(13:07):
investigators narrow the likely time of her death to the
week of April fifteenth through the twentieth. Crucially, neighbors and
friends provided disturbing anecdotes about Laura's housemate, the man known
as Simons Storm From that same week, One neighbor told
police that Simon had approached them with an unusual offer.
He was trying to sell Laura's television set, claiming that
(13:28):
Laura had given him permission to do so. The neighbor
found it odd. Why would Laura suddenly have her tenant
sell off her belongings and why wasn't she handling it herself.
Even more alarming, when the neighbor expressed a desire to
check in on Laura since they had not seen her,
Simon insisted that she was not feeling well and asked
them not to disturb her. It appeared that Simon was
(13:50):
actively trying to keep people away from Laura's home during
the very period she was missing, and, as it turns out,
was likely already dead inside. Another piece of evidence was
the content of text messages sent from Laura's phone during
that week. Besides the don't come here, I won't be
around text sent to her son Greg, there were a
few other short messages Laura had supposedly sent to friends
(14:13):
that did not sound like her usual texting style. It
seemed likely that Simon or whoever was responsible, had been
using Laura's phone to send fake updates, attempting to create
the illusion that she was still alive and traveling or busy.
Investigators strongly suspected that these messages were part of a
cover up meant to delay any alarm about Laura's disappearance.
(14:34):
This aligns with what one detective later pointed out, indicating
a deliberate effort to mislead everyone about when Laura really died,
stating most likely the killer had stolen Howard's phone and
tried to cover up her time of death. With mounting
evidence pointing to Simon Storm's involvement, the investigation's next step
was to find this mysterious individual, But when police tried
(14:56):
to track him down, Simon's Storm had already vanished. He
ran his name through databases and quickly hit a snack.
Turns out, Simon's Storm wasn't his real name. There were
no reliable records of a man by that name matching
his description. This was a significant turning point. It meant
that not only was Storm likely Laura's killer, but he
(15:17):
was also a con man who had been living under
an alias. Detectives interviewed Laura's friends further and uncovered that
Simon's behavior had been peculiar from the start. He had
spun a sob story to Laura when they first met.
Simon claimed he was an immigrant from Canada in the
US illegally, and that he was on a quest to
track down his ex wife who had run off with
(15:37):
their children. This tale apparently played on Laura's empathy and
might explain why she allowed him into her home. However,
now the police had reason to believe that the story
was entirely fabricated. Investigators did not have the Simon's Storm
name in any criminal databases, so they turned to some
other clues. In Laura's house, they found a few items
(15:58):
that might have belonged to the suspect, possibly fingerprints, a
forgotten piece of mail, or some personal paperwork left behind
in his haste to escape. It has never been publicly
detailed exactly what clues inside the house helped, but authorities
eventually uncovered Simon Storm's true identity, Robert Keen. Keen was
a forty four year old Illinois native decidedly not Canadian,
(16:21):
with a checkered past. This revelation was chilling. The kind
trusting Laura Howard had unknowingly led a dangerous individual into
her life. Armed with Keen's real name, detectives dug into
his background and found some disturbing information. Decades earlier, as
a teenager, Robert Keen had been charged in Illinois with
attempted murder in that nineteen eighty six case, a then
(16:44):
seventeen year old Keen had brutally attacked someone. He eventually
pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery. This
indicated a history of violence. Furthermore, over the years, Keen
had a master reputation as a chameleon con artist, frequently
changing his name and his stories. He had numerous aliases.
(17:04):
Police would later compile a list of at least five
fake names that he used, and he had an act
for telling elaborate lies about himself. For instance, besides the
faux Canadian persona he had used on Laura, he had
at times claimed to be a professor with multiple degrees
or a former military man, whatever suited his manipulation. At
the time, the emerging picture of Robert Keane was that
(17:26):
of a serial grifter who targeted people, especially women, to
exploit their resources or hospitality. With this information, investigators now
viewed Laura's case in a new light. Keen likely prayed
on Laura's generosity and then silenced her when she became
an inconvenience or when he had gotten what he wanted.
A possible motive began to coalesce. Perhaps Laura discovered something
(17:49):
about his lies or intended to end their arrangement, especially
since she seemingly wanted him gone before her son came
to visit. This might have led to a confrontation. It's
also possible that Keene's motive was primarily theft and self preservation.
By eliminating Laura, he could steal her car, in valuables
and escape without paying rent or facing questions. While exact
(18:11):
motives remained speculative, what's clear is that Robert Keen had
both the opportunity and the capacity for violence, given his
presence in the home and his past record. Within days
of the discovery of Laura's body, Fort Meyer's police announced
that Robert Keen or Simon Strong, was a person of
interest in Laura Howard's death. They were careful with their language,
(18:32):
since the medical examiner had not pinpointed a cause of death.
They stopped short of issuing a murder warrant at that time. Nonetheless,
Keen was the only individual they were actively looking for
in connection with the case. Police alerted other law enforcement
agencies and began tracking Keene's trail of escape across Florida.
Unbeknownst to them, Keen's movements after Laura's death were already
(18:54):
generating incidents in other parts of the state, clues that
would soon surface and corroborate his. As the investigation pressed on,
detectives collected every bit of evidence from Laura's home, Towell's
water samples, any DNA or fingerprints, and her abandoned car
once it was found, hoping for forensic links too Keen,
but the cunning preparation of the scene suggested that Robert
(19:17):
Keene had been meticulous. He had likely worn gloves and
left minimal trace evidence. Investigators also kept Laura's grieving family
informed as best they could. For Greg, Cassandra and the
rest of Laura's family, it was incomprehensible that the friendly
handyman their mother had described could be an alleged killer.
The family channeled their grief into supporting the investigation, speaking
(19:40):
to the media, and urging anyone with knowledge of Keene's
whereabouts to come forward. Within the first few weeks, local
Crimestoppers bulletins were issued featuring Keene's mugshot and aliases, and
the case began to gain wider attention as a particularly
heinous betrayal of trust. While the autopsy results on Laura
Howard were ultimately inconclude of regarding exact cause of death.
(20:02):
The circumstantial evidence of homicide was overwhelming. As one investigator
bluntly put it, given the details surrounding the crime, it
was likely a homicide despite the lack of a clear
forensic cause. Laura had no known medical conditions that could
explain an accidental death in a bathtub, and it was
virtually impossible that she would submert herself and cover herself
(20:23):
with towels. Everything pointed to someone else's hand. The case,
now officially a homicide investigation, was heating up, and all
roads led to Robert Keen, who was quickly proving to
be a particularly elusive fugitive. By the time authorities identified
(20:50):
Robert Keen as their suspect, a fuller picture of this
elusive man began to emerge. Keen was born around nineteen
sixty nine and crew up in Illinois. Long before crossing
paths with Laura, he had a history of criminal behavior
and deception. In fact, investigators uncovered that Keene's trouble with
the law began in his youth. At seventeen years old,
(21:11):
he was involved in a violent incident that led to
an attempted murder charge, though he avoided a long prison
term by pleading down to aggravated battery. This early episode
hinted at Keene's capacity for extreme violence, even at a
young age. It's unclear what other crimes he may have
committed in the ensuing years, but one thing became evident.
Robert Keen reinvented himself many times, leaving apache trail that
(21:34):
was hard to follow. Keene was, in essence, a con
artist and a drifter. He used numerous aliases throughout his
adult life, often to ingratiate himself with people and live
under the radar. Among the false names he was known
to use were Simon Storm, Simon Croft, Alex Defrey, Alex Devil,
and Alex Frost. In addition to some other variations, each
(21:58):
alias came with a new, fabricated backstory. For example, as
Laura's friends recounted, Simon Storm claimed to be a down
on his luck Canadian trying to reunite with his lost children.
In other instances, King boasted of having been a university
professor or a member of the Canadian Army, leaving elaborate
and false details to gain sympathy or respect. He had
(22:20):
a talent for telling people exactly what they wanted to hear.
If someone was religious, he might emphasize his supposed wholesome background.
If someone was generous, he would play up a tragic
personal story to evoke pity. In Laura Howard's case, Robert Keen,
as Simon Storm, exploited her kindness. He likely presented himself
as helpful, polite, and in need of a break, persuading
(22:42):
her to let him stay in her home. Laura's own
friends noted that before she died, she mentioned her new
tenant was going to assist with some home improvement projects,
a prospect that Laura seemed pleased about. This shows how
Keen inserted himself into her life under the guise of
being useful to her. However, neighbours quickly felt that something
wasn't right. The episode where Keen tried to sell off
(23:03):
Laura's TV and urged neighbors not to contact her was
deeply suspicious behavior. It revealed Keene's manipulative nature. He wanted
material gain and control over information, classic tactics of an
abuser or con man, tightening his grip physically. Robert Keen
did not appear especially intimidating. He was of short too
average height, around five foot six, and had a stocky
(23:26):
build about one hundred and seventy pounds in twenty thirteen,
at age forty four. He had a receding hairline, was
going bald on top, and often sported a dark mustache.
His face, as seen in mugshots later released by police,
is round with some unassuming features, the kind of person
who might blend into a crowd easily. Keen likely relied
(23:47):
on this ordinary appearance to avoid drawing suspicion, but there
were a couple of distinctive quirks about him that people
who met him would later recall. One particularly bizarre, detailed
investigators shared, is that Keen had an odd hapbit of
asking women if he could give them a bath upon
first getting to know them. This peculiar behavior, essentially a
grooming tactic both literally and figuratively, was something Laura's family
(24:11):
learned about only after her death. It's unsettling in hindsight,
considering Laura was found in a bath. Though we cannot
know if this habit played into the crime, it demonstrates
Keene's fixation on putting women into vulnerable positions. Another noteworthy
aspect of Keene's background is how well prepared and transient
he was by the time he met Laura. It seems
(24:32):
Keen was already living off the grid to an extent.
He avoided using his real identity, meaning no legitimate jobs, leases,
or paper trails were in his own name. That made
tracking him exceedingly difficult once he fled Trish Rout, a
crime stopper's coordinator remarked on the challenge when we're dealing
with someone who is living off the grid, it's really
(24:52):
difficult to find them, especially when he's using an alias
that other people aren't questioning. Keen knew how to disappear,
He had no known digital presence, and he used prepaid
cell phones or ALIAS accounts wherever possible. Authorities also learned
that Keen might have targeted other women in the past
in similar fashion. While Laura Howard's case is the one
(25:14):
that brought him to national attention, investigators suspect that there
could be additional victims or scams tied to Robert Keen
that simply haven't been uncovered yet. As one detective caution,
we have no idea how many other victims are out there.
Past and present. This statement underscores the kind of person
that police believe. Keen is a predator who could move
(25:36):
from victim to victim, city to city, assuming new identities
each time his welcome ran out where things got too
dangerous for him. By all accounts, Robert Keen became the
primary suspect in Laura's death as soon as her body
was found and he was discovered missing. His means, motive,
and opportunity were all evident. He had been alone with
(25:57):
Laura in the critical window of time. Motive in that
Laura might have been ending their arrangement where he wanted
to steal from her, and he certainly had the means
as shown by his past. He was capable of violence
and cunning enough to stage the scene. Additionally, tangible evidence
linked Keen to the crime. On the same day that
Laura's body was found, police located her missing vehicle and
(26:20):
uncovered documents tying back to Robert Keen. As we'll touch
on in just a moment, all of this elevated Keen
from a mere person of interest to the fugitive suspect
at the center of the investigation. More after the break,
(26:41):
as detectives worked the case in Fort Myers. Robert Keen
was already on the run. Tracing his whereabouts after Laura's
murder became a top priority. The first big break came
within twenty four hours of discovering Laura's body, her silver
Toyota was found abandoned in another part of Florida. Specifically,
it turned up on Florida's East Coast, roughly one hundred
(27:01):
and twenty miles away in the city of Margate. It
wasn't a coincidence. Margate police had just days earlier responded
to a disturbance at a private home that would turn
out to be directly connected to Robert Keane. In Margate,
an older woman had allowed a man renting a room
in her home to stay for a short period, a
man who went by yet another alias. Reports very which one,
(27:23):
but it was likely one of Keene's known fake names.
The scenario sounded alarmingly familiar. According to a Margate police
incident report. The woman had grown suspicious of her new
Border Simon, particularly after hearing about a wanted suspect on
the news. When her brother confronted the man and asked
to see his identification, the Border agreed and said he
(27:44):
would go retrieve it from upstairs. What happened next could
have been ripped from a movie. Instead of coming back
down with an id, the man leapt out of a
second story window and fled, literally jumping from the house
to escape. He ran off so quickly that he left
almost all of his personal belongings behind. By the time
margate authorities put two and two together, the fleeing border
(28:05):
was identified as Robert Keen, and the possessions he abandoned
were a treasure trove of evidence. Inside the room he
had occupied were duffel bags containing documents linked to Laura Howard.
In fact, among the item's Keen left were Laura's own passport,
her driver's license, and even an old marriage certificate of hers.
Finding Laura's personal papers in Keene's bag powerfully connected him
(28:27):
to her death. It suggested that after killing Laura, or
discovering her deceased in the unlikely scenario, someone else was involved.
Keen raided her home for important papers and identification, perhaps
with an eye towards stealing her identity or keeping mementoes.
He also left behind some of his fake ideas and
documents under his aliases, helping police catalog his various personas
(28:50):
The marked incident occurred sometime in late April or early
May twenty thirteen, and Keen was last physically seen during
that dramatic escape from the second floor window. One report
from detectives indicates that as late as June twenty thirteen
a sighting of Keen corresponds to that margate flight. Some
sources sight June, others may, but either way that was
(29:11):
the final confirmed sighting. After that, Robert Keanes seems to
have vanished into thin air. In the immediate aftermath, law
enforcement launched a man hunt for Robert Keene. Given the
interstate nature of the crime, he wasn't a Florida native,
federal authorities like the US Marshal Service were alerted. Wanted
posters were disseminated describing Keen's appearance and aliases. Police believed
(29:36):
that Keen might try to blend into another community by
targeting a new victim or family. As a result, they
warned the public, especially in Florida, about his tactics. One
unsettling pattern investigators highlighted was that Keen often ingratiated himself
with single women or women around his age who might
have a spare room, just as he had done with
(29:56):
Laura and the Woman in Margate, Florida, public was cautioned
if a man with a hard luck story and one
of several alias names tried to rent a room or
offer handyman services, be extremely wary and check his background.
Leeds have since poured in sporadically over the years. Since
twenty thirteen, there have been periodic tips and alleged sightings
(30:18):
of Robert Keen, but none have panned out conclusively. Sometimes
someone would call saying that they met a man who
gave a fake sounding history or used one of Keen's
alias surnames. Task Force officers would investigate, only to find
it was a dead end or another person entirely. Keen
seemingly became an expert at disappearing, potentially taking on totally
(30:40):
new aliases not yet known to authorities. It's believed that
he stayed largely in Florida for some time, given his
familiarity with the area and possibly some contacts or other
victims there. In fact, early on, police speculated that Keen
could still be hiding somewhere in Florida, living off the
grid under a false identity. With Florida's many transient populations
(31:02):
and seasonal residents. It isn't hard to disappear into certain
communities if one is careful. One challenge has been that
Robert Keen has not been formally charged with murder, meaning
that there wasn't initially a nationwide murder warrant, only warrants
related to questioning, car theft and fraud. However, authorities did
try to make it clear that he was the sole
(31:22):
suspect in Laura's death. Over time, as evidence accumulated, it's
possible that stronger warrants were obtained, but publicly the case
is still often phrased as Keane being wanted for questioning
in the homicide. This phrasing aside. Law enforcement's intent is clear.
They want Robert Keen in custody and fully expect to
charge him once caught. Years have passed now without Robert
(31:46):
Keen being found. By twenty twenty one, the case had
gone somewhat cold, leading Laura's family and detectives to try
a new avenue. National media in August of that year,
an episode of Investigation to Sycoveries in Pursuit with John
Walsh featured Laura Howard's unsolved murder and spotlighted Robert Keen
as a fugitive. The show's exposure brought a renewed flurry
(32:09):
of tips. John Walsh's team highlighted Keene's known aliases and
even mentioned his unusual bath habit, hoping that someone somewhere
might have encountered him. The episode reiterated that Keene, then
age fifty two, was still at large eight years after
the crime, and encouraged viewers to call with any information. Unfortunately,
even with a national audience, Keene remained elusive. As of
(32:33):
the latest updates. Now over a decade since Laura's death,
Robert Keen has not been captured. The manhunt quietly endures
in the background of law enforcement operations. Detectives periodically check
old aliases against new records, for instance, monitoring if any
Simon Storm or Alex Frost pops up in public databases
(32:53):
like driver's licenses or arrest logs. They've scoured leads in
multiple states. There is a per persistent belief among some
investigators that Keene may have changed his name yet again
and assimilated into another community, possibly even outside of Florida.
Others think he could be living off of cash jobs
and avoiding any official paperwork that would trip up databases.
(33:15):
Robert Keane's ability to remain undetected for so long suggest
a combination of careful planning, luck, and perhaps help from
unknown associates, or simply the anonymity afforded by drifting through
society's margins. Law enforcement has publicly stated that they will
not stop looking for Keen. Investigators in Fort Myers have
kept his file open and regularly circulate his information to
(33:37):
other agencies. They are unequivocal that they consider him dangerous
as a crime Stopper's representative grimly noted, you don't just
leave a woman dead and then jump out of a
second story building to avoid being caught if you've done
nothing wrong. In their view, Robert Keen is likely responsible
for Laura's death and possibly other crimes we may never
(33:58):
know about. Today, Robert Keene is officially a wonted fugitive,
and his case is listed among Southwest Florida's notable unsolved crimes.
He would now be in his mid fifties, perhaps grayer
and heavier than the last known photos of him show,
But until he is found, the question of justice for
Laura Howard remains painfully unanswered. Laura Howard's life was senselessly
(34:28):
cut short, robbing her of the joyful retirement and family
moments that she had ahead of her. In the aftermath,
her children and other loved ones have been left to
grapple not only with grief, but with the agonizing lack
of closure. They have tried their best to preserve her memory,
remembering Laura as a devoted mother, a faithful friend, and
a compassionate soul who opened her home to someone she
(34:48):
thought was in need. The horror of how that kindness
was repaid is something they continue to carry. Twelve years later,
the case remains open. Laura's family has not given up
their quest for justice. Her son Greg, voicing the family's
frustration and desire for answers, said he left her in
a bathtubbed rot. Either he's really good at hiding or
(35:09):
we're not looking hard enough. Authorities, too, remain determined to
find Robert Keane. Each passing year is a reminder that
a killer, or at least a man with crucial answers,
is still out there, living free while Laura's family waits.
Investigators regularly appeal to the public for assistance, emphasizing that
(35:29):
no tip is too small to check out. Crimestoppers of
Southwest Florida continue to publicize Keene's face and information. Anyone
with information about his whereabouts or alias's is urged to
call the twenty four hour hotline at one eight hundred
seven eight zero tips. That's one eight hundred seven eight
zero eight four seven seven. Tips can be given anonymously,
(35:51):
and rewards may be available for information leading to his location.
In memory of Laura Howard, her family has also become
vocal and race awareness about the dangers of fraudsters and
the importance of background checks on individuals entering one's life.
They know that nothing will bring Laura back, but a
measure of peace could come from seeing the person responsible
held accountable until Robert Keen is found. The story of
(36:15):
Laura Howard's unsolved murder endoers is a cautionary tale, a
reminder of both the fragility of trust and the tenacity
of a family's love seeking justice. Laura's voice may have
been silenced, but those who loved her continue to speak
on her behalf, ensuring that her case is not forgotten. They,
along with law enforcement, ask that anyone who recognizes Robert
(36:36):
Keen or has heard someone tell a suspicious similar life
story to the ones described to please step forward. It
is a solemn hope that, with the public's vigilance and help,
one day Robert Keen will be captured, answering at last
for what happened in that quiet Fort Meyer's home so
many years ago. Until such a time, the story of
Laura Howard will remain unresolved.
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