A wealthy, elderly woman vanishes from her luxurious Manhattan home.
Coincidentally, her two newest tenants, a mother and son, disappear at the same time.
This isn’t fiction; it’s the chilling true story of Irene Silverman and the manipulative, heartless criminals who walked into her life and changed it forever.
Irene Silverman, a vibrant and generous 82-year-old widow, lived in a beautiful, multi-million dollar townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
She was known for her philanthropic work and her energetic spirit.
One summer in 1998, she mysteriously disappeared from her home, leaving everyone baffled.
Adding to the mystery, her disappearance coincided with the sudden departure of two tenants who had been renting an apartment from her.
These tenants were a 23-year-old man and a woman in her 60s, who had only moved in a few weeks prior.
The apartments in Silverman’s building were quite luxurious, renting for up to $10,000 a month.
It soon became clear that the departure of the tenants was no coincidence.
The pair, Kenny Kimes and his mother, Sante, were not who they seemed.
They were actually con artists and criminals, wanted in connection with a string of crimes that stretched across the country. Their crimes included theft, arson, and even murder.
Tragically, a few months before Irene Silverman vanished, they had murdered a Los Angeles businessman named David Kazdin. His body was found in a dumpster near the Los Angeles airport. The Kimeses were also suspected of other crimes in Las Vegas and the Bahamas.
The story of the Kimes’s criminal spree, which culminated in the murder of Irene Silverman, is the subject of a Dateline episode titled “The Devil Wore White.” The episode delves into the details of their crimes and the intense manhunt that eventually led to their capture and conviction in 2000.
A key part of the Dateline episode is an interview with Kenny Kimes, now 49 years old, who is currently serving his prison sentence for the murder of David Kazdin. He’s incarcerated in a prison in San Diego. In the interview, Kimes claims to be remorseful for his actions.
He expresses regret for his past and talks about wanting to make amends for the terrible things he did. He even apologizes directly to the families of his victims, saying he was “an idiot” and that he is “ashamed” of his ignorance.
The Dateline episode also features interviews with other people connected to the case. Viewers will hear from Kenny’s half-brother, Kent Walker, who provides insights into the Kimes family dynamics. The show also includes an interview with Ken Holmgren, the son of one of Sante Kimes’ suspected murder victims, offering a personal perspective on the devastating impact of their crimes.
“The Devil Wore White” promises to be a compelling and chilling look into the minds of these notorious criminals. You can watch Dateline’s “The Devil Wore White” on Friday, January 31st at 9 p.m./8 p.m. CT.