What happened to Pete Coones after he was exonerated?
On November 5, 2020, more than 10 years after he was wrongly convicted of murder in Kansas City, Kansas, Olin “Pete” Coones was exonerated and released from prison. He was serving a sentence of 25 years to life for the 2008 murder of 45-year-old Kathleen Schroll, who had been the housekeeper for Pete’s late grandfather.
Who is Pete Coones Jr?
Olin “Pete” Coones Jr. was charged and arrested with the first-degree murder of Kathleen and Carl Schroll within days of the incident — while he was driving two of his children to school.
What really happened to Michael Coones?
In 2009, Coones was convicted of the murder of Kathleen Schroll in Kansas City, Kansas, but it was later deemed to be a wrongful conviction in what was actually a murder-suicide, the Midwest Innocence Project wrote.
Who is Olin “Pete” Coones’ wife Kathleen Schroll?
Who Was Olin “Pete” Coones? Olin “Pete” Coones Jr. and Kathleen Schroll were introduced to each other in the mid-2000s when the latter was hired to help take care of his father, who suffered from dementia. A few years later, though, after the elder Coones passed away, their relationship turned into one of hostility.
Who approved the Coones case?
In the agreed upon order approved by Judge Teresa L. Watson, Coones also was granted a Certificate of Innocence and records of his conviction and arrest were ordered expunged. Payment of the judgment is subject to review by the state finance council.
Who is the attorney general for Coones?
Attorney General Derek Schmidt plans to formally ask the council to review the matter at its next meeting, according to a news release from the attorney general’s office. Coones’ lawsuit is the fifth filed under the states’ wrongful conviction statute to be resolved, according to the attorney general’s office.
How old was Coones when he was shot?
His lawyers say the cancer went undiagnosed during his wrongful incarceration. He was 64. Coones was 50 when he was charged with first-degree murder in the April 2008 fatal shooting that took the lives of Carl Schroll, 64, and his wife, Kathleen Schroll, 45, in their Kansas City, Kansas, home.
Where was Pete in the trial?
In January 2009, Pete went to trial in Wyandotte County District Court. The prosecution’s case relied primarily on the evidence of the phone call Kathleen made to her mother, the testimony of Kathleen’s daughter that Pete had made threats, and the forensic and physical evidence—though none of that evidence implicated Pete.
When was Pete convicted of the murder of Kathleen?
On January 23, 2009, the jury convicted Pete of the murder of Kathleen and acquitted him of the murder of Carl. He was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
What happened to Kathleen in 2008?
The crime occurred in the early morning hours of April 7, 2008. Kathleen was mired in debt, facing imminent arrest for embezzlement, and losing a legal battle for Pete’s grandfather’s estate. She fatally shot her 64-year-old husband, Carl and then, telephoned her mother for help, saying that Pete had killed Carl and was about to kill her too. At that point, the phone went dead.
Why didn't Kathleen tell Carl about Pete?
Kathleen had said that she didn’t tell him because she and Carl were experiencing “marital tension.”
What happened to Carl Schroll?
Carl Schroll was found sprawled across the bed. He had two gunshot wounds to the abdomen and what appeared to be a laceration on his head. A pillow had a hole in it with stuffing hanging out. There was no sign of forced entry and a police sergeant on the scene told dispatch that it was “possibly” a murder-suicide.
Where did Kathleen go to work?
On April 5, Kathleen went to work at the Midwest Regional Credit Union where she was a systems analyst. She told co-workers that she had seen Pete that morning at a gas station and he had threatened her. On Sunday, April 6, Kathleen told her daughter that Pete had threatened her, but gave a different account.
Who was the employee at Olin's bank?
Meanwhile, Theresa Harding, an employee at Olin’s bank, became concerned about Olin’s well-being and asked him to come to the bank. Olin arrived with Kathleen, who refused to allow Harding to speak privately with Olin. After an argument, Kathleen relented.
When did Coones die?
And I finally had to shut up on that because she’d get mad at me every time I’d bring it up.”. Coones, 64, died on February 21, 2021, just 108 days after he was exonerated in the Schroll murder-suicide that had been staged to look like a double homicide.
Who was the housekeeper of Coones' father?
A few minutes before, Kathleen Schroll had called her family, not 911, to say that Coones was in their home and had threatened to kill them both. Kathleen Schroll was the housekeeper of Coones’ late father and the two had been involved in a legal dispute over the inheritance and life insurance after Coones’ father’s death.
Why did Schroll choose Coones?
Coones was chosen because Schroll wanted to get back at him for a legal suit he was winning regarding his father’s inheritance money.
Why did the police go after Coones?
Despite the lack of evidence indicating a struggle or forced entry, and with no DNA or gunshot residue evidence tying Coones to the scene, authorities and prosecutors went after him because of a phone call between Schroll and her mother before her death. Coones’ attorney said: This was a classic case of tunnel vision.
How long did Deirdre Coones stay with him?
He said, “I spent 12-and-a-half years trying to talk her into divorcing me, so she could move on with her life because I loved her so much.
Where is the man accused of Kathleen Schroll?
Olin ‘Pete’ Coones Now: Where Is the Man Accused in Kathleen Schroll Case Today? Olin “Pete” Coones was arrested and charged with the murder of Kathleen Schroll, who was found dead alongside her husband Carl Schroll in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 7, 2008.
Who exonerated Kathleen Schroll?
On November 5, 2020, Wyandotte County District Court Judge Bill Klapper exonerated Coones, Law and Crime reported. In vacating the conviction, the judge said prosecutors did not reveal key information that would have shown Kathleen Schroll’s motive to die by suicide and cast doubt on her credibility. There was also no DNA or any other evidence tying Coones to the scene and gunshot residue was found on Kathleen Schroll.
Who Was Olin “Pete” Coones?
Olin “Pete” Coones Jr. and Kathleen Schroll were introduced to each other in the mid-2000s when the latter was hired to help take care of his father, who suffered from dementia. A few years later, though, after the elder Coones passed away, their relationship turned into one of hostility. After all, Olin discovered that Kathleen was named as a beneficiary for his father’s life insurance from a change made online, without power of attorney. What ensued was a legal battle, with the federal court left to determine who the actual recipient would be.
Who was the person who killed Carl and Kathleen?
It was around this time that Kathleen and Carl were shot to death. Olin faced two trials for the same, where he was convicted of Kathleen’s murder and acquitted of Carl’s.
What evidence did Olin have?
However, one of the most critical pieces of evidence was Olin’s alibi. He insisted he was at home with his wife, daughter, and her fiancé on the night of the incident, and all of them testified on his behalf. Moreover, his computer showed that someone had logged in under his profile twice that night — at 1:07 am and 4:51 am, and it was during this time that the incident had transpired. This, along with an apparent motive, led to his conviction. But there’s more to this story.
How to support Pete's family?
You can support Pete’s family by donating to their GoFundMe here.
Why did Pete refuse to plead guilty?
He turned down the deal because he personally felt unable to tell his children that “it’s okay to raise your hand and say you did something, swear an oath and know that you’re telling a lie because the world should never run on lies, the world has to run on the truth.” Though he would’ve loved nothing more than to come home, he refused to consider a plea because it would have forced him to say he did something he didn’t do. Being known only through conviction, particularly in Pete’s case where it was a wrongful one, greatly bothered him.
How did Pete die?
Tragically, only 108 days into his long-awaited freedom, Pete died from cancer on February 21st, 2021 aged just 64 years old. Though his spirit proved enduring, Pete left prison “in a body that was broken,” in the words of his attorneys.
What did Pete's family say about his memory?
Pete’s family and attorneys say that they will “keep demanding justice in his memory.”. Pete never stopped thinking about those left behind. It spurred him on to work and do interviews to talk about the injustice that marred his life, resolving that “Somebody has to say enough.
What was Pete's prayer?
Pete was left shackled to an unjust sentence of life imprisonment. Every prayer of Pete’s was devoted to the hope of returning home to his family. His small source of solace was that, in his words, “I didn’t need a miracle, I just needed the truth.”.
Who wrote the memorial for Pete?
This memorial was written by MOL team member Cecile Ramin with information from Pete’s Facebook profile, reporting by Rachel Olding from The Daily Beast, David Medina of KSHB Kansas City, McKenzoe Nelson of KSHB Kansas City, the Midwest Innocence Project, Luke Nozicka, Jill Toyoshiba and Tammy Ljungblad of The Kansas City Star, Melinda Henneberger of the Kansas City Star, Emily Crane of Daily Mail.com, and an opinion piece by Tricia Rojo Bushnell, the executive director of The Midwest Innocence Project, which represented Pete Coones in his exoneration.
When was Coones exonerated?
He was exonerated in November 2020 after prosecutors determined the deaths were a murder-suicide orchestrated by Kathleen Schroll, who tried to frame Coones. The settlement also calls for records of his arrest and conviction to be expunged.
How did Coones die?
Coones died of cancer in February, 108 days after he was released from prison. The approval comes weeks after a Shawnee County District Court judge signed off on the $826,301 payment at the request of Attorney General Derek Schmidt, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
How much money did the family of a man who died get?
(AP) — The family of a man who died shortly after being released from prison for a killing he did not commit will receive a settlement of more than $800,000.
